Latest news with #AldhenGarcia
Straits Times
31-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
‘Adulting 101': Canadian uni offers classes for Gen Zs to learn basic life skills
Swathes of Gen Z-ers are enrolling in 'Adulting 101' - a course designed to teach students day-to-day life skills. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY Which is harder - coding an app from scratch or grocery shopping? Surprisingly, some Gen Zs might argue it's the latter. Gen Z, or Generation Z, refers to those born between 1997 and 2012 . While some are already full-fledged adults, many say t hey still lack essential life skills. To make up for this, the University of Waterloo, a top-ranked institution in Ontario, Canada, has launched 'Adulting 101' - a course designed to teach students day-to-day life skills. On the university's website, the course description reads: 'From managing your finances, grocery shopping, keeping your laundry whites... white, staying organised - there are a lot of important life skills you might have wished you learned sooner.' It is structured around three key areas: prioritising mental and physical well-being, adapting to new responsibilities, and fostering personal growth. There are no reports on the number of students who have enrolled in the course. 'I don't know how to change a tyre. I don't have a car at all. I don't know how to sew. I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking,' Mr Aldhen Garcia confessed on The Current, a radio programme produced by Canadian news outlet CBC News. The freshman at Canada's Toronto Metropolitan University is among many in his generation who share the struggle of navigating adulthood. But why do young people these days need a crash course on what previous generations might deem common sense? According to experts , overprotective parents who are excessively involved in their children's lives may be partly to blame, reported American news outlet CBS News. Gen Zs are also living with their parents for longer periods, taking on lesser responsibilities as their parents manage the household. This prolong s their adolescence while delaying their development, researcher and psychology professor at San Diego State University Jean Twenge said on The Current. 'Kids are growing up less independent. They're less likely to learn how to do adult things as high school students. Then they get to university, and they still don't know,' she said. Her sentiments were echoed by netizens worldwide. Commenting on CBS' TikTok account, one said: 'If someone is 20 and can't do laundry, personally, I blame it on the parents.' Beyond household chores, financial literacy is also a major concern for many in that generation, and one of the key skills they hope to gain by enrolling in the course. 'Within the school curriculum, I think it is so important that children are taught financial literacy. A lot of stuff involves money,' Mr Garcia said. While some praised the students for recognising their shortcomings and taking steps to improve, others were quick to point out that these skills should be taught earlier on in home economics classes. 'We learned how to sew, cook, use tools and other stuff in school. It is sad they took those classes away,' one user commented. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gen Z is signing up for ‘Adulting 101' classes — because they can't handle basic life skills: ‘A lot of stuff involves money'
They can code TikToks in their sleep — but can't cook rice without a YouTube tutorial. Gen Z is flocking to 'Adulting 101' crash courses, desperate to learn what previous generations might call common sense: how to do laundry, budgeting for rent or navigating a grocery store without Googling 'what is a turnip?' 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all. I don't know how to sew. I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking,' admitted Aldhen Garcia, a freshman at Canada's Toronto Metropolitan University, on CBC's 'The Current.' 'I think it's so important that children are taught financial literacy. A lot of stuff involves money,' he added. He's not alone. Canadian colleges like the University of Waterloo are stepping in to teach the basics with online toolkits like 'Adulting 101,' which covers everything from healthy relationships to how not to set your kitchen on fire. 'There's a lot of things that are missed in education about when you actually become an adult,' echoed Bella Hudson, a third-year TMU student. She told the radio program, 'I do wish that they had classes that taught how to manage yourself and manage your life.' What's cooking — besides ramen — is a cultural reckoning. According to Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of 'Generations,' today's 20-somethings are hitting adulthood with empty toolboxes. 'Kids are growing up less independent. They're less likely to learn how to do adult things as high school students. Then they get to university and they still don't know,' Twenge said on 'The Current.' 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills. If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' Twenge blames helicopter parenting and extended adolescence — made worse by rising numbers of young adults living with mom and dad. 'You are just more likely to be financially dependent on your parents for longer,' she noted. Stateside, students are seeing the same gaps. 'NYC high schools are failing their students — not academically, but practically,' Zack Leitner, a New York City 10th grader, wrote in The Post last month. 'Until the 1960s, NYC high schoolers learned to cook, clean and sew as part of their standard curriculum. In 2025, they'd be lucky if they knew how to do their laundry.' Leitner said the long-lost home economics class — ditched during the Women's Liberation movement — left behind crucial life lessons for all genders. Today's students, he argues, are launched into adulthood with no idea how to fold a fitted sheet or roast a chicken. 'What today's youth need are 'Adulting 101' classes,' he insisted. 'A lack of these skills makes youth feel adrift once they enter the 'real world.' ' Pam Charbonneau, Waterloo's director of student success, agrees. 'What you're experiencing is normal. A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time,' she told students like Garcia, as reported by the CBC. And while she supports universities offering help, Twenge says the real fix starts earlier. 'Limiting kids' freedom and not teaching them practical skills is doing them a disservice,' she said. Because whether it's interest rates or ironing a shirt — ignorance isn't bliss, it's expensive.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Canadian university launches 'Adulting 101' course
A renowned Canadian university has launched a bizarre 'Adulting 101' crash course for pampered students who can't perform the most basic life tasks like changing a tire, buying groceries or doing laundry. In an era dominated by digital innovation, Generation Z - or those born between 1997 and 2012 - are in desperate need of practical knowledge that older generations might otherwise consider 'common sense'. 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all,' Aldhen Garcia, a first-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), told CBC's The Current . 'I don't know how to sew,' he added. 'I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking.' The University of Waterloo, a top-ranked institution in Ontario known for its programs in math, computer science and engineering, has responded to the growing demand by launching the online course - Adulting 101. Adulting 101 is designed to teach basic life skills that Gen Z often struggles with, including cooking, budgeting, basic nutrition, laundry and even navigating a grocery store. 'You've probably already started to notice that things won't get done unless you do them,' a course description on the university's website reads . 'From managing your finances, grocery shopping, keeping your laundry whites... white, staying organized - there are a lot of important life skills you might have wished you learned sooner.' Beyond teaching basic life skills, the program emphasizes mental and physical health - encouraging students to explore their personal growth. The university also offers skill evaluations to help students identify their strengths and areas for improvement. 'What you're experiencing is normal,' director of student success Pam Charbonneau said in a message to those struggling. 'A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time.' The course covers everything from maintaining healthy relationships, practicing fire safety in the kitchen and changing a tire. For many, the course has been a saving grace - not only helping them personally, but also boosting their daily confidence in navigating the ins and outs of adulthood. According to Charbonneau, many students report feeling anxious or stressed as they figure out their life post-secondary school, and that access to resources like 'Adulting 101' helps normalize their experiences. She added that many students have also expressed a wish that they had learned these skills earlier in life. Experts have attributed the generation's lack of skills to several factors, including the decreasing independence these young adults are given during childhood. Jean Twenge (pictured), a researcher and psychology professor at San Diego State University, suggests that prolonged adolescence and 'helicopter' parenting have delayed development among Gen Z. Twenge, who studies generational differences, argued that limiting children's freedom and failing to teach them practical skills is only doing them 'a disservice', as reported by CBC. 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills,' she told the outlet. 'If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' As the author of several books, Twenge has extensively researched how a lack of foundational knowledge leaves young people more prone to making costly mistakes in everyday life. In her 2017 book titled iGen, Twenge introduced the concept of the 'slow life strategy' - an idea where people live longer, spend more time in school and parents tend to have fewer children, but raise them with greater care and intention. This approach, she explained, often leads to kids gaining independence later than previous generations. Another reason for the gap may be that students are living at home for longer periods, which often results in them taking on fewer responsibilities as parents continue to manage the household tasks. She encouraged parents to move away from the mindset that they must do everything for their children, and instead start involving them in tasks like cooking and laundry at an earlier age. However, Twenge's primary concern while analyzing the gap is the rising rates of depression and other mental health issues among young people. A 2023 commentary published in the Journal of Pediatrics reviewed dozens of studies and reports, concluding that the rise in mental health issues among young people is linked to fewer opportunities for children and teens to socialize away from adults. The commentary suggested that depriving young people of independence can contribute to elevated levels of anxiety and depression.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Woke university launches 'Adulting 101' course for embarrassingly basic life skills fragile students can't handle
A renowned Canadian university has launched a bizarre 'Adulting 101' crash course for pampered students who can't perform the most basic life tasks like changing a tire, buying groceries or doing laundry. In an era dominated by digital innovation, Generation Z - or those born between 1997 and 2012 - are in desperate need of practical knowledge that older generations might otherwise consider 'common sense'. 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all,' Aldhen Garcia, a first-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), told CBC's The Current. 'I don't know how to sew,' he added. 'I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking.' The University of Waterloo, a top-ranked institution in Ontario known for its programs in math, computer science and engineering, has responded to the growing demand by launching the online course - Adulting 101. Adulting 101 is designed to teach basic life skills that Gen Z often struggles with, including cooking, budgeting, basic nutrition, laundry and even navigating a grocery store. 'You've probably already started to notice that things won't get done unless you do them,' a course description on the university's website reads. 'From managing your finances, grocery shopping, keeping your laundry whites... white, staying organized - there are a lot of important life skills you might have wished you learned sooner.' Beyond teaching basic life skills, the program emphasizes mental and physical health - encouraging students to explore their personal growth. The university also offers skill evaluations to help students identify their strengths and areas for improvement. 'What you're experiencing is normal,' director of student success Pam Charbonneau said in a message to those struggling. 'A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time.' The course covers everything from maintaining healthy relationships, practicing fire safety in the kitchen and changing a tire. For many, the course has been a saving grace - not only helping them personally, but also boosting their daily confidence in navigating the ins and outs of adulthood. According to Charbonneau, many students report feeing anxious or stressed as they figure out their life post-secondary school, and that access to resources like 'Adulting 101' helps normalize their experiences. She added that many students have also expressed a wish that they had learned these skills earlier in life. The university's director of student success, Pam Charbonneau, said that many students report feeing anxious or stressed as they figure out their life post-secondary school, and that access to resources like 'Adulting 101' helps normalize their experiences Experts have attributed the generation's lack of skills to several factors, including the decreasing independence these young adults are given during childhood. Jean Twenge, a researcher and psychology professor at San Diego State University, suggests that prolonged adolescence and 'helicopter' parenting have delayed development among Gen Z. Twenge, who studies generational differences, argued that limiting children's freedom and failing to teach them practical skills is only doing them 'a disservice', as reported by CBC. 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills,' she told the outlet. 'If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' As the author of several books, Twenge has extensively researched how a lack of foundational knowledge leaves young people more prone to making costly mistakes in everyday life. In her 2017 book titled iGen, Twenge introduced the concept of the 'slow life strategy' - an idea where people live longer, spend more time in school and parents tend to have fewer children, but raise them with greater care and intention. This approach, she explained, often leads to kids gaining independence later than previous generations. Another reason for the gap may be that students are living at home for longer periods, which often results in them taking on fewer responsibilities as parents continue to manage the household tasks. Twenge's primary concern while analyzing the basic skill gap is the rising rates of depression and other mental health issues among young people in Gen Z (pictured: Twenge) She encouraged parents to move away from the mindset that they must do everything for their children, and instead start involving them in tasks like cooking and laundry at an earlier age. However, Twenge's primary concern while analyzing the gap is the rising rates of depression and other mental health issues among young people. A 2023 commentary published in the Journal of Pediatrics reviewed dozens of studies and reports, concluding that the rise in mental health issues among young people is linked to fewer opportunities for children and teens to socialize away from adults. The commentary suggested that depriving young people of independence can contribute to elevated levels of anxiety, depression and suicide. 'Self-advocacy is probably the most important piece and probably where the gap is right when they come in, if they really haven't had to do much of that before,' Charbonneau said, as reported by CBC. 'You see their shoulders drop when they realize there's actually someone and something here to help me solve my problem.' Other universities have also began offering programs that address topics such as planning, finances and first aid. While Twenge supports universities offering basic life skills courses for Gen Z, she emphasizes that the real solution must start much earlier.
New York Post
26-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Gen Z is signing up for ‘Adulting 101' classes — because they can't handle even basic life skills: ‘A lot of stuff involves money'
They can code TikToks in their sleep — but can't cook rice without a YouTube tutorial. Gen Z is flocking to 'Adulting 101' crash courses, desperate to learn what previous generations might call common sense: how to do laundry, budgeting for rent or navigating a grocery store without Googling 'what is a turnip?' 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all. I don't know how to sew. I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking,' admitted Aldhen Garcia, a freshman at Canada's Toronto Metropolitan University, on CBC's 'The Current.' 'I think it's so important that children are taught financial literacy. A lot of stuff involves money,' he added. He's not alone. Canadian colleges like the University of Waterloo are stepping in to teach the basics with online toolkits like 'Adulting 101,' which covers everything from healthy relationships to how not to set your kitchen on fire. 3 Aldhen Garcia, a freshman at Toronto Metropolitan University, confessed on CBC's 'The Current' that he lacks many basic life skills — from changing a tire to sewing — and doesn't even own a car. AntonioDiaz – 'There's a lot of things that are missed in education about when you actually become an adult,' echoed Bella Hudson, a third-year TMU student. She told the radio program, 'I do wish that they had classes that taught how to manage yourself and manage your life.' What's cooking — besides ramen — is a cultural reckoning. According to Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of 'Generations,' today's twentysomethings are hitting adulthood with empty toolboxes. 'Kids are growing up less independent. They're less likely to learn how to do adult things as high school students. Then they get to university and they still don't know,' Twenge said on 'The Current.' 3 Many of today's twentysomethings are entering adulthood with barely a clue — but 'Adulting 101' at the University of Waterloo is helping them fill in the blanks. nakophotography – 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills. If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' Twenge blames helicopter parenting and extended adolescence — made worse by rising numbers of young adults living with mom and dad. 'You are just more likely to be financially dependent on your parents for longer,' she noted. Stateside, students are seeing the same gaps. 'NYC high schools are failing their students — not academically, but practically,' New York City 10th grader Zack Leitner wrote in The Post last month. 'Until the 1960s, NYC high schoolers learned to cook, clean and sew as part of their standard curriculum. In 2025, they'd be lucky if they knew how to do their laundry.' 3 Whether it's sewing a button or figuring out the laundry cycle, experts warn that if Gen Z isn't learning how to problem-solve and make decisions solo, they could be in for a rough ride. Nata Bene – Leitner says the long-lost home economics class — ditched during the Women's Liberation movement — left behind crucial life lessons for all genders. Today's students, he argues, are launched into adulthood with no idea how to fold a fitted sheet or roast a chicken. 'What today's youth need are 'Adulting 101' classes,' he insisted. 'A lack of these skills makes youth feel adrift once they enter the 'real world.'' Waterloo's director of student success, Pam Charbonneau, agrees. 'What you're experiencing is normal. A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time,' she told students like Garcia, as reported by the CBC. And while she supports universities offering help, Twenge says the real fix starts earlier. 'Limiting kids' freedom and not teaching them practical skills is doing them a disservice,' she said. Because whether it's interest rates or ironing a shirt — ignorance isn't bliss, it's expensive.
