Gen Z Turns to ‘Adulting 101’ Classes for Basic Life Skills

Toronto, Canada — As many young adults graduate from high school and enter universities, a significant number are signing up for ‘Adulting 101’ courses to acquire essential life skills. These classes teach practical abilities often overlooked in traditional schooling.

Aldhen Garcia, a freshman at Toronto Metropolitan University, expressed his frustration on CBC’s ‘The Current,’ acknowledging his struggles with basic tasks such as changing a tire, sewing, and cooking beyond simple meals. ‘I think it’s so important that children are taught financial literacy. A lot of stuff involves money,’ he said.

Canadian colleges, including the University of Waterloo, are introducing online toolkits that cover everything from cooking to managing finances. Bella Hudson, a third-year student at TMU, agreed, stating, ‘There’s a lot of things that are missed in education about when you actually become an adult.’

Psychology professor Jean Twenge from San Diego State University discussed these trends, noting that today’s youth often feel ill-equipped for adulthood. ‘Kids are growing up less independent,’ she stated. ‘If they’re not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.’

Twenge links this issue to the trend of helicopter parenting and extended adolescence, with many young adults remaining financially dependent on their parents for longer periods. ‘You are just more likely to be financially dependent on your parents for longer,’ she pointed out.

In the U.S., similar concerns are emerging. High school student Zack Leitner recently spoke out about the decline of practical life skills in NYC schools. ‘Until the 1960s, NYC high schoolers learned to cook, clean and sew as part of their standard curriculum,’ he stated. ‘Today’s students, he argues, are with no idea how to fold a fitted sheet or roast a chicken.’

University administrators are also acknowledging this gap. Pam Charbonneau, director of student success at Waterloo, told students, ‘What you’re experiencing is normal. A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time.’

Ultimately, experts like Twenge emphasize the need for foundational life skills education to begin much earlier. ‘Limiting kids’ freedom and not teaching them practical skills is doing them a disservice,’ she warned.