MSU To Teach Teens ‘The Obscure Reality Of Being An Adult’

The course is called 'Adulting 101' and will cover all those things your dad probably already taught you, but you weren't paying attention.

The Class Will Teach Skills Like Getting Organized And Food Preservation

The Summer Session class is available through Michigan State University's 4H Extension program, and is open to teenagers and young adults 19 and under, and begins next Tuesday, July 12.

It is designed to teach incoming college students how to handle themselves when they're out in what they refer to as 'the obscure world of being an adult'.

The four week course highlights a different skill each week, with getting organized, home food preservation, renting and eating healthier all covered this year.

July 12: Getting Organized
Learn about various digital tools to help you stay organized. We will discuss how to make a to-do list, keep an organized calendar, reduce clutter, and find things faster.

July 19: Home Food Preservation
Learn what blanching is, what foods need to be blanched and why, what foods freeze well, and what foods don’t. These tips will help you preserve your foods and save money.

July 26: Informed Renter
Know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. We will talk about the rental process from finding a place to live to moving out.

August 2: Healthy U
How to keep yourself healthy now and in the future? Learn some strategies and ways to advocate for your wellness, stay mentally, and physically healthy as you transition into adulthood.

I would think 'managing money' might be a more important skill than those, but what do I know? I'm just a dad.

Where Did You Learn Your Life Skills?

I went off into the so-called 'real world' when I was 18, and always asked my dad when he was alive how to negotiate the world. It turns out after raising eight kids on a limited budget, he was pretty good at being a cheap skate. He also taught me to avoid any kind of debt outside of a a car payment or a mortgage, and that turned out to be very useful.

Our high school did offer a 'Home Economics' class that taught basic skills like cooking and budgeting, but for some reason I thought it was a girly class so I refrained. What a dummy I was, as I could certainly could have used some of those skills. Especially cooking, and how to shop for groceries.