Life has a funny way of catching you unprepared. It sneaks up on you before it pounces, sending you floundering. Nowadays, with our phones at our fingertips, it’s easy enough to learn new skills and information so that we can give ourselves a fighting chance. But theory is not the same as practice and there will be times where a quick Google search can’t save you.
Chances are these skills won’t be the difference between life or death. They will, however, save you a lot of frustration when the time comes. Which brings us to the five forgotten skills you need to know.
1. Sewing
I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked to mend a hole in something for someone or if I could fix a hem. I’m more than happy to help, but the ability to repair and tailor your own clothing is invaluable. There are plenty of tutorials online that can teach you basic sewing techniques. Knowing how to repair tears in your pants or reinforce weak seams will not only keep your clothes presentable, but it’ll save you a pretty penny.
2. Starting a fire
You might not need to start a fire with flint and steel, but if you’re even remotely outdoorsy knowing how to start and keep a fire going is super helpful. Ever been to a bonfire where it’s taken what felt like hours just to get a flicker of a flame, or gone camping with your family and had to use fire starters just to get dinner cooking? Regardless of the situation, one day you’ll be watching someone struggle to set a pile of wood ablaze, and you’ll be able to offer your expertise. Trust me on this.
3. Baking bread
This one’s partially for bragging points. Being able to have fresh bread that you made is wonderful and giving it to your friends is a massive ego boost. Aside from that, bread is really easy to make, and a loaf can provide you with a base for lots of meals. Not only that, but it can be cheap to make which is great if you’re a struggling university student.
4. Gardening
How many times have you killed a cactus? Once? Twice? Knowing how to properly care for plants is super rewarding and with enough confidence, you can grow your own produce! Gardening helps you develop a habit of caring for something other than yourself and gets you back to nature instead of on a screen.
5. Navigating without a GPS
I love my friends, I really do, but if I have to continuously worry about them getting lost because their phone died and they don’t know the area they’re in, I’m going to have grey hairs by the time I’m 20. Learning to navigate without a GPS is a simple skill you’d hope people would have, and often you don’t realize you need it until you, well, need it. Please don’t be eighth grade me getting lost on the way home. Know your surroundings and the main roads in your area.Maybe you’ll never use any of these skills. Maybe you will. One thing’s for certain, with our growing dependence on technology, what is essential to know for everyday life has changed a lot in the last century.
Next time you’re bored and trying to find something to do, try picking up one of these forgotten skills!