As students approach their graduation year they begin to realize what about public education is most important to them. Students sometimes regret their decisions made while in school, and others realize their missed opportunities (the ones they should have taken advantage of when they had the time to do so.) There are so many things students under appreciate every day and do not even realize how important that thing or person is to them.

Public education can be easily taken for granted. By the time a student is ready to graduate, that student may realize some of the following things that they may have missed in their high school career.

One thing students commonly take for granted in school is the time they had during their school career to get to know their teachers. Students may believe they should have taken the time to better get to know their teacher, as they had plenty of time to do so. If students were closer to their teachers, they could use them as a future recommendation. They also could have become great friends with their teacher, still go to that teacher for help, and they could have been a future guide to that student.

Another thing students commonly take for granted is the missed opportunity to take advantage of their free education. Many students do not take the time to value their education that helps prepare them for their future life in college and in the real world. If a student pays attention in school, they learn how to do so much, such as listening to simple life tips that could help benefit their future.

Some students regret not taking more advanced courses while in school. These courses can help wet a student’s feet to experience a similar pace and amount of work as a college class, and help a student learn so much more about a particular subject.

Other opportunities school students wish they would have taken are chances to make more friends, or their mistake of working too much while in school. Students take for granted not taking place in some after school activities, clubs, and sports when they had the time to participate in them. These activities could have won the student a future college scholarship. A final thing some students take for granted is skipping after school dances and social events, including semi and prom.

When it comes time for graduation, students come to realize how much they actually enjoyed their education, how much they enjoyed going to school, and show more pride toward their school. Their missed opportunities can be put behind them, and they can move on. Everyone misses opportunities in school, do not let yours haunt you forever.