Our Totally Subjective List of Important Life Skills To Learn From a Girl Scout

Yes, you really do earn an actual badge simply for making a friend in Girl Scouts. But that’s not all this badge is. The skill set girls learn is about how to make introductions, show friends you care, share, and learn how to disagree. Those are majorly important life skills for, like, ever. (Image: Girl Scouts)

The Girl Scouts are well aware of the potential pitfalls of the digital world, reply-all fails, awkward comments, embarrassing photos, et al. Earning this badge teaches a scout to “decide what makes a great social media profile” and “explore ‘oops!’ and ‘wow!’ moments.” Don’t you wish someone had taught you that, back before you trolled your friends “for fun?” (Image: Girl Scouts)

It’s an excellent life skill to know at least a little first aid, as well as how to respond in an emergency. What’s most impressive about this badge is that scouts learn how to make a portable first aid kit themselves. Do you even know what to include? Best find out. (Image: Girl Scouts)

Girl Scouts are encouraged to approach selling cookies as akin to running their own small business, employing skills like setting goals, tracking sales, marketing, money management, and sales techniques. Um, wow. A lot of entrepreneurial makers have to learn these lessons on the fly. (Image: Girl Scouts)

The skills outlined in this badge are all about working well with others, being a good teammate, and setting a good example for others, on and off the field. We imagine that we all know someone who could have used a bit more instruction in all of the above, no? (Image: Girl Scouts)

Earning this badge teaches a scout how to save water and energy at home, as well as the importance of recycling and reusing. As an adult, those skills translate directly into saving money … as well as living a better, cleaner, greener life. Bravo! (Image: Girl Scouts)

C’mon, you don’t want to be an adult who still eats cereal for dinner. This badge challenges girls to make a breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert for their families and selves. No one’s saying you need to be a master chef, but we all need to know how to cook a dish or two, thank you. (Image: Girl Scouts)

Some may disagree, but we believe knowing how to garden is an absolutely essential life skill. This badge teaches scouts the basics of seed starting and choosing plants to grow, skills that translate into self-sufficiency (and fresh, home-grown food!) as an adult. (Image: Girl Scouts)

Chances are, at some point in your life you’ll need to get up in front of people and talk. It can be a daunting prospect, especially if you’re unprepared — which is why we’re declaring it a basic life skill. This badge instructs girls how to convey a point, find her voice, and make connections with others. (Image: Girl Scouts)

This is quite an advanced badge in the Girl Scouting world, but a super important one. After all, most adults don’t think of budgeting until forced to (and often they’re deep in debt when that happens. This badge teaches scouts how to plan for their needs and save for emergencies, among other treats — handy skills for any savvy adult. (Image: Girl Scouts)