40 Adults share basic life skills they failed to learn

There are so many things to learn during our lives … we learn how to read, ride a bike, cook a meal, use a computer … and so much more. And we usually lean on our family and friends to help us learn these seemingly simple life skills.

But sometimes there are things that we can’t learn. And no matter how simple those things are and how hard we try to learn them, we just can’t! We recently found an article on Bored Panda that summarizes some of these “life skill fails,” courtesy of “The New York Times” editor Jenée Desmond-Harris on Twitter. And we provide some help on how to overcome these common life skill fails.

You may relate to these basic life skill fails, and you will probably chuckle at most of them, including not being able to ever learn how to tie shoes, snap fingers, shuffle a deck of card, put batteries in correctly, and much more!

1) Can’t blow up a balloon or open combination lock

Blowing up balloons can be challenging, as well as frustrating. And, according to “New York Times” editor Jenée Desmond-Harris, figuring out how to open a combination lock baffles even Stanford-educated engineers! Find out how to blow up a balloon here and how to open a combination lock here.

2) Can’t tie a necktie

Yep! This one has baffled many. Being able to skillfully tie and necktie isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Find out how to tie a necktie here.

3) Can’t swim

Dre shared on Twitter that he never learned to swim. In fact, he says he won’t go anywhere near water parks for fear of drowning. Here are seven quick tips to learning how to swim as an adult. You can even take swimming lessons at a local Red Cross, YMCA, etc.

4) Can’t get on or off escalator

Nicole can’t get on or off an escalator easily. In fact, she said she has to “desperately cling to the rail” for fear of falling down. It’s OK, Nicole. We’ve got you covered! Here’s some quick tips on getting on and off the escalator confidently.

5) Can’t iron correctly

Using an iron to get wrinkles out of our clothes is extremely helpful. But some people just can’t seem to get the wrinkles out! Abdullah is one of those people, who says not matter how hard or long they try, they just can’t get the wrinkles out! Click here to find out how to effectively use a steam iron.

6) Can’t shuffle cards

“I can’t shuffle cards. I just mush them around the table until it feels done,” says Sam Kuhn. Poor Sam! But don’t worry! Here’s a tutorial you definitely must read on how to shuffle a deck of cards.

7) Can’t snap fingers

Jenn describes the horror of being mocked by her child for not being able to snap her fingers. It’s a skill that not everyone can get a handle on. Read this tutorial, and you’ll be snapping like a pro in not time.

8) Can’t parallel park

Parallel parking can cause even the best drivers to break out into a sweat. But while the process of parallel parking seems daunting, it’s “ridiculously easy,” according to this how-to guide.

9) Can’t learn to drive

Peter also can’t parallel park. In fact, he can’t drive at all. After three driving lessons, Peter’s driving instructor quit on him, telling him that “you will never get this.” So Peter never drove again. But it’s never too late! Here’s a helpful article from lifehacker on “How to Learn to Drive as an Adult.”

10) Can’t float

While Patrick can swim, he never learned how to float correctly. He sinks every time he tries to float! But all hope is not lost. Here’s a great explanation on how to float in water.

11) Can’t navigate

Navigating directions can prove both frustrating and challenging, especially if you’ve never really learned how to do it, as Keni explained on Twitter. But it’s never too late to become a good navigator. Here’s how.

12) Can’t ride a bike

The phrase “It’s like riding a bike” isn’t always true, according to Nathan. Some of us never could get the hang of riding a bike. But, you can still learn how to ride a bike as an adult. Check here to find out how.

13) Need help remembering left and right

Talia has to hold up her thumbs to remember which way is left and which way if right. But the left/right confusion is actually common, according to understood.org. Here’s an article that includes some help on how to learn left from right.

14) Always cool too much

Cooking for the right amount of people is a skill that some just can’t grasp. Nipunie, on Twitter, says, “No matter how many people I’m cooking for, I always end up boiling enough spaghetti to feed approximately 67 people.” Allrecipes has a great article on “Tips for Calculating How Much to Cook for a Crowd.”

15) Can’t wrap presents

I can definitely relate to this life skill fail. Every time I attempt to wrap a present, it looks like a five year old did it! But I found a great tutorial on how to wrap a present, and it works! Check it out here.

16) Bad sense of time and distance

Marcia S. on Twitter sums up this life skill fail: “I have a … lousy sense of time/distance. I’d be the worst police witness: “It happened sometime between 1:30 and 8:15 and was somewhere between 4 feet and a mile away.” Marcia really needs to read this and this.

17) Can’t remember how to put batteries in

I can totally relate to Jim’s issue with putting batteries into something. He says, “I’ve changed the batteries on hundreds of things but still have to check which ends the – and + are. Every. Single. Time.” Here’s how to put in batteries correctly.

18) Can’t alphabetize

Even though we learn our ABCs when we’re really young, some adults can’t remember the order of the alphabet without a little help. Grace can’t alphabetize without first singing the ABC song. This is one of those life skills hack that you either get … or you don’t!

19) Can’t whistle

While some people can’t whistle at all, Jaeda can’t do a two-finger whistle. Well, Jaeda, I can’t either! Maybe we should read this helpful article on “How to Whistle With Your Fingers.”

20) Can’t read analog clock

Ashley can’t seem to read an analog clock quickly. “I look at an analog clock way too long before I can tell what time it is.” Study.com has a helpful video on “How to Tell Time on an Analog Clock.” Check it out here.

21) Can’t remember how long ago something was

Nadia on Twitter can never remember how long ago something happened. Whether something happened 2 years ago or 20 years ago, Nadia can’t seem to remember. This article about “How to Remember the Past,” has some super tips on remembering things that happen in our lives.

22) Can’t say the word ‘rural’

Saying certain words can prove challenging, no matter what your age. And RainbowResistance recently shared a word she just can’t say correctly. “I cannot say the word ‘rural’ to save my life … I sounds like Scooby-Doo anytime I attempt it.” A reddit conversation on this exact issue may be helpful!

23) Can’t understand insurance deductibles

Dealing with insurance issues can be an absolute nightmare. And some people can’t grasp how a deductible actually works. SecretlyStephie on Twitter agrees: “You could explain deductibles 1000 times to me and I’ll understand it for about 30 seconds, tops.” Here’s a good description of exactly how deductibles work.

24) Can’t tie shoes

As a kid, one of our proudest moments is when we first learn how to tie our shoes! Unfortunately, some of us are never able to conquer this life skill. It’s never too late to learn though. Here’s some helpful instructions on how to easily tie your shoes.

25) Can’t remember names

I can totally relate to this life skill fail. Because I usually have trouble remembering people’s names for more than a few minutes, unless their family and friends, of course. Jim from Twitter agree, saying, “No one has ever beat me at trivia, but a name? Forget it.” Here’s five cool ways to remember someone’s name.

26) Can’t easily pronounce G and J

Aunty Feeble can’t easily understand or pronounce the different between the letters G and J. “I have to think about them every time. I’m 54,” she said. There are actually two sounds of G, so it’s understandable that some have trouble with this letter and confusing it with J. Here’s what you need to know about the two sounds of the letter G.

27) Can’t swim underwater without doing this

Emily from Twitter can’t swim underwater without holding my nose. “I can’t comprehend how anyone does it.” So, for those of you who would like to swim without holding your nose, here’s how.

28) Can’t fold fitted sheets

Folding fitted sheets is beyond frustrating. Getting a folded sheet to look nice and neat seems almost impossible. But here’s how you can actually fold a fitted sheet and make it look pristine.

29) Can’t hook bra

Hooking a bra behind your back is a life skill most of us master early on. But it can frustrate some women, who can’t seem to master this skill. Elizabeth on Twitter says, “I can’t hook my bra behind my back. I hook it in front and scurry it around.”

30) Can’t hard boil an egg

Hard boiling and soft boiling an egg seems to be an art that some of us can’t master. So scrambled eggs is usually what my family gets! Here’s a good tutorial on hard boiling and soft boiling eggs perfectly.

31) Can’t make small talk

The art of social interaction completely alludes some people, including the ability to make small talk, as this Twitter user explains: “I have no idea how to make small talk … my brain just goes blank.” Forbes gives eight painless tips on making small talk.

32) Can’t add numbers in head

Does anyone still use their fingers to count small numbers? Raises hand! Well, @AtomDoesntTell on Twitter can relate. He says, “I can’t quickly add small numbers in my head. 18 + 6 takes me about five seconds to figure out.” Here are 10 ways to do math in your head.

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Twitter/@1followernodad

33) Can’t spell certain words

While Ken on Twitter can’t spell the word definitely, spelling in general often confounds people. Here is a list of the top 10 misspelled words, according to inc.com. The words definitely, separate, and receive are on the list, as well as some other confusing words.

34) Taking legible notes

Ross on Twitter can’t take legible meeting notes by hand. He said, “Can’t take even semi-legible meeting notes by hand while actually following what’s being said.” No worries! Here are 8 tips to improve your handwriting.

35) Can’t open a wine bottle

Ah yes! Those dastardly wine bottles! “I can’t open a wine bottle with those stupid fold-up cork screws,” said vjphoto on Twitter. Here’s a bit of help with this life skill that you’re bound to encounter at some point.

36) Can’t says Wednesday

Amber and Leslie have trouble pronouncing Wednesday and February without using a little reminder trick first. Yep, there are some words in the English language that are plain hard to pronounce. Here are a few more hard-to-pronounce words, including the words anemone, colonel, and rural (as mentioned previously).

37) Can’t remember how to open jar

Opening up a jar, bottle, lock, etc., is really confusing, according to Only the Wheel on Twitter. “I think 99% of the time I open anything … I have to silently say to myself, “Righty tighty, lefty loosely,” they said. And that’s the best advice … turn right to tighten and turn left to loosen.

38) Can’t hula hoop

Is using a hula hoop still a thing? Well, when I was a kid it was. In fact, I remember the proud moment when I first mastered the hula hoop! Wize Old Owl wishes she could figure out the hula hoop, so here’s a great method on how to do it.

39) Can’t do a cartwheel

Just like the hula hoop, doing a cartwheel brought a lot of satisfaction when I was a kid. But one Twitter user wonders if not being able to do a cartwheel is genetic. It’s OK, though. Anyone can actually learn at any age. Try it!

40) Can’t flip food in a pan

While Kristi on Twitter lists a lot of things she never mastered in life, one thing stands out: She can’t flip food in a pan correctly. “Can’t flip anything in a pan and have it land in the pan,” she said. Thanks to a HuffPost article, we all can now learn “How to Flip Food in a Pan Like a Chef, Without Spilling.”

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Do you have your own life skill fail? There is so much to master in life that we all have our weaknesses. There are bigger issues in life that we may have never mastered, like effectively managing our money, dealing with mental health issues, or how to have a good first date,

But there are also other issues, smaller ones that we mentioned in this slideshow, that nag at you now and then, like tying your shoes, boiling an egg, or parallel parking. But thanks to the internet, you can find out exactly how to do most of these things easily and quickly!