I don’t know about you, but I didn’t know how to balance a checkbook until a couple weeks ago.

Taking consumer education taught me how to do that.

My time in consumer education has been short- lived, given that I only started taking it this semester. However, as I sit quietly in the corner of the classroom, observing my peers’ reactions to the material being taught to us, I have noticed a general        trend: complaints.

When this happens, I think it’s important to remember the banter that occurs in any other mandatory academic class. “But when are we going to use this in real life?” said the souls of thousands of students throughout the years.

But when I’m sitting in consumer education and I hear a complaint from a classmate about how she is bored or he could just ask his parents about the information being taught, all I can do is wonder whether I’ve ever heard the same person ask in math class when exponential equations will be useful in the real world.

This hypocrisy, as I’m sure you’ve already identified it, is extraordinarily frustrating, considering consumer class literally teaches you how to succeed in real life.

From budgeting and economics to career paths and interviewing, consumer education certainly contains valuable material.

Whether or not you’re fascinated 100 percent of the time, I think it’s important to remember that we are extraordinarily lucky to have the opportunity to take this class.

Pay attention. Next time, before you complain, remember that maybe because of it, one day you won’t go bankrupt.