Adulting 101 Course Helps Teens Transition to a Successful Future

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 28, 2021) – – As teenagers approach adulthood, life can quickly come upon them. Whether it’s making the leap from high school to college or getting their first job and moving out of the parental home, young people face many new situations in a short amount of time. The University of Kentucky is offering a web-based course this summer to help students improve key life skills to ease that transition.

Adulting 101 is an eight-week summer course that begins June 15 and meets every Tuesday through Zoom. Organized by the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the UK Cooperative Extension Service, the course is open to teenagers across the country regardless of their goals. Adulting 101 originated as a Central Kentucky piloted program to expand family and consumer science in a county.

“We are excited to grow and expand the program through this partnership,” said Jennifer Hunter, assistant director for Family and Consumer Sciences Extension. “As a consultant and professor, I have had the opportunity to work with numerous students as they move from high school to college and then to the workforce. Starting the conversation early while the students are still in high school gives you an opportunity to practice key life skills like time management, budgeting, and stress management. “

Young people often inundate social media with posts complaining about burned meals, servicing a car, managing their money, living with a roommate, and studying with so many distractions. Adulting 101 is specifically focused on wellbeing and life skills that facilitate the transition to life on campus or to the workforce so that young people can better focus on their next step.

“The course teaches students many skills that we adults often take for granted. It’s easy to believe that everyone learns such skills at home, and that’s not necessarily the case, ”said Carmen Agouridis, Assistant Dean of Education. “This course is a way of ensuring that students acquire some skills that we know will be very important to them as they enter adulthood. Even if a student doesn’t go to college right away, many of these skills will even help them in high school. How to learn How do I take care of myself mentally and physically? How does diet affect me and how can I cope better with it? “

This is the second summer the UK has offered 101 to adults. More than 580 students registered for the course in 2020. In a recent poll, comments such as, “This was a great program and I learned so much! I appreciate that you put this together and took the time to educate us teenagers! “And” I really enjoyed this course. It was a lot of fun ”, it turned out that the students were enthusiastic about their experiences in the course. Based on feedback from last year’s attendees, the organizers have added new topics and expanded lessons to this summer’s program.

“I often remind my college students that the decisions they make today, like the decision to take on credit card debt, directly affect their future,” Hunter said. “When teens are prepared to understand the implications of their decisions in early adulthood, they can feel more secure when they become self-employed.”

The registration fee is $ 29.99. Capacity is limited, so the organizers recommend registering as soon as possible. You can find the registration form online at https://bit.ly/3sMBm7r.