‘Adulting 101’: Canadian uni offers classes for Gen Zs to learn basic life skills

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 they 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 prolongs 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.