Gen Z Stack Up on ‘Adulting 101’: Essential Life Skills in High Demand
Introduction: The Reality of Adulting in 2023
They can effortlessly create viral TikToks but often stumble when faced with everyday tasks like cooking rice without a YouTube tutorial. Gen Z is increasingly turning to "Adulting 101" classes in a quest to master basic life skills many consider vital yet often overlooked.
Why Gen Z Needs Adulting Skills
Despite their tech-savviness, numerous young adults are grappling with responsibilities that seem second nature to earlier generations. Learning how to do laundry, manage a budget, or navigate a grocery store without searching “what is a turnip?” has become paramount.
Voices from the New Generation
Aldhen Garcia, a freshman at Toronto Metropolitan University, reflected candidly on his experiences during a recent appearance on CBC’s “The Current”. “I don’t know how to change a tire. I don’t have a car at all. I don’t know how to sew,” he admitted, underscoring the gap in basic life skills. “I think it’s so important that children are taught financial literacy. A lot of stuff involves money.”
Tracking the Growing Demand for Life Skills
Institutions like the University of Waterloo are responding to this need with innovative online toolkits, including “Adulting 101”. These courses cover everything from fostering healthy relationships to avoiding kitchen disasters—a much-needed repertoire for today’s youth.
Image: Aldhen Garcia, capturing the essence of today’s youth in need of practical skills.
Examining the Root Causes of Skill Gaps
Educational Shortcomings: A Silent Crisis
There’s a pervasive sentiment among students that crucial skills are missing from traditional educational curriculums. Bella Hudson, a third-year TMU student, articulated, “There’s a lot of things that are missed in education about when you actually become an adult.”
Understanding the Cultural Shift
Dr. Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University and author of “Generations,” attributes this gap to helicopter parenting and prolonged adolescence. “Kids are growing up less independent,” she explained. As young adults increasingly depend on their parents, they lack the necessary tools to navigate life’s complexities.
The U.S. Perspective: A National Trend
In the United States, similar observations come from students like Zack Leitner, a New York City high school student. He argues that schools have failed to equip students with practical life skills, stating, “Until the 1960s, NYC high schoolers learned to cook, clean, and sew as part of their standard curriculum.” Today, he observes, many students would be lucky to understand how to do their laundry.
Image: Skills that every young adult should possess for smooth sailing in adulthood.
Q&A: Understanding the Need for Adulting Courses
Why is "Adulting 101" Needed?
Today’s youth require a comprehensive understanding of day-to-day responsibilities. Courses like “Adulting 101” can fill in the educational blanks and empower young adults with essential knowledge.
What Do Experts Suggest?
Pam Charbonneau, Waterloo’s director of student success, reassures students, “What you’re experiencing is normal. A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time.”
The Path Forward: Making Life Skills a Priority
While universities provide valuable resources, Dr. Twenge insists that the solution lies in earlier education. “Limiting kids’ freedom and not teaching them practical skills is doing them a disservice.”
Conclusion: Embracing a Comprehensive Education
As we march further into 2023, equipping young adults with the knowledge to handle life’s complexities—from managing interest rates to ironing a shirt—is crucial. Ignoring these lessons isn’t just naive; it can prove to be expensive—both financially and personally.
For a thriving future, perhaps it’s time we acknowledged that learning to adult is just as vital as hitting those academic milestones.
Explore more about the changing landscape of education and essential life skills here.
