LEXINGTON, Ky., — As teenagers approach adulthood, life can come at them fast. Whether it’s making the leap from high school to college or getting that first job and moving out of their parents’ home, young people face a lot of new situations in a short time span. The University of Kentucky is offering a web-based course this summer to help students hone important life skills to make that transition easier.

Adulting 101 is an eight-week summer course beginning on June 15 and meeting 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 nationwide, no matter their goals. Adulting 101 originated as a county-based family and consumer sciences extension program piloted in Central Kentucky.

“We are excited to be growing and expanding the program through this partnership,” said Jennifer Hunter, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension assistant director. “As an advisor and professor, I have had the opportunity to work with numerous students as they transition from high school to college and then into the workforce.  Starting the conversation early, while students are still in high school, gives students the opportunity to practice important life skills, such as time management, budgeting and stress management.”

Young people often flood social media with posts that complain about burned meals, maintaining a car, managing their money, living with a roommate, and studying when there are so many distractions. Adulting 101 specifically focuses on well-being and life skills that help smooth the transition to campus life or the workforce, so that young people feel more prepared to focus on their next step.

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

This is the second summer UK has offered Adulting 101. More than 580 students signed up for the course in 2020. In a recent survey, comments such as, “This was a great program, and I learned so much! I appreciate you putting this together and taking the time out of your summer to educate us teens!” and “I really enjoyed this class. It was very fun to take,” showed that students were enthusiastic about their experiences in the course. Based on survey feedback from last year’s attendees, organizers have included new topics and expanded lessons in this summer’s program.

“I often remind my college students that the decisions they make today, such as the decision to take on credit card debt, will directly impact their future,” Hunter said. “Preparing youth to understand the impact of their choices in early adulthood allows them to feel more confident as they step out on their own.”

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