---
title: Presence | Blog | 105 Adulting 101 Program Ideas
description: <p>Adulting is hard! I
image: https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/Adulting101-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-85-PM.png
---

## 105 Adulting 101 Program Ideas

Luke Burton | August 22, 2018

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/Adulting101-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-85-PM.png?width=800&name=Adulting101-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-85-PM.png)

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Adulting is hard! I’m pretty sure if I had a nickel for every time I’ve said “I wish someone taught me that in college,” I’d be able to fund my own space program.

For real, though. There’s so much we need to know as an adult and there’s no guarantee that we’ll have someone around to teach us. As student affairs professionals, we can help our students (and, let’s be real, ourselves) be better prepared for whatever life throws at them with some basic life skills programming.

![Unbreakable kimmy schmidt gif](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-52-89-PM.gif?width=350&height=274&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-52-89-PM.gif)

This list was inspired by a [student affairs professional’s Facebook post](https://www.facebook.com/groups/394281700668916/permalink/1776994175730988/), and we couldn’t help but add some of our own ideas to those already fantastic suggestions. Supposedly, if you know how to do all these things, then you’re a successfully grown-up human being! (At least, that’s what we’ve been told)

**If you’re thinking of hosting Adulting 101 programs for your students, then this is the complete list for you.**

We kept the descriptions for each of these topics brief, so they’re open to your campus’ interpretation! Let us know if you choose to implement any of them.

*Here goes! *

## Finances

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-58-09-PM.gif?width=500&height=270&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-58-09-PM.gif)

**1. Banking**  
 The purpose of checking accounts and savings accounts. Should you go big bank or local credit union? All your eggs (dollars) in one bank, or multiple?  
**2. Managing finances/budgeting**  
**3. Budgeting apps**  
 Think apps like [Albert](https://albert.com/), [Mint](https://www.mint.com), [Honeydue](https://www.honeydue.com/) (for people in relationships or people co-living)  
**4. Extreme couponing**  
 A great opportunity to break out episodes of the TLC classic.  
**5. How to write a check**  
**6. How money orders work**  
**7. Taxes 101**  
**8. Credit cards (plus interest, points, and other rewards)**  
**9. Managing your credit score**  
[Credit Karma](https://www.creditkarma.com) is a great way to look at all your lines of credit and plan on ways to improve your score.  
**10. Planning for retirement**  
**11. The basics of a 401(k)**  
**12. How (and why) to start a Roth IRA**  
**13. Intro to investing**  
**14. Bitcoin and cryptocurrency**

## Housing

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-54-74-PM.gif?width=480&height=270&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-54-74-PM.gif)

**15. How to lease an apartment**  
**16. How to pack for a move**  
 And adapting to a minimalist mindset.  
**17. Moving on a budget**  
**18. Renters insurance**  
 Bundle it with your car insurance and SAVE!  
**19. Living with roommates**  
**20. How to talk to your landlord about problems**  
**21. How to get rid of roaches and other insects**  
**22. How to get your security deposit back**  
**23. How to break a lease**  
**24. Mortgages**

## Cars

![car maintenance gif](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-50-PM.gif?width=636&height=357&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-50-PM.gif)

**25. How to get your license**  
 Did you know? Generation Z students [aren’t getting their licenses as frequently](https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-teens-what-theyre-all-about-2017-9) as previous generations.  
**26. Parallel parking**  
**27. How to talk to a mechanic**  
**28. Jumpstart a car**  
**29. How to change a tire**  
 Bonus tip: Purchase an air compressor that plugs into your car via lighter jack.  
**30. How to change your oil**  
**31. Creating an inexpensive emergency car breakdown kit**  
**32. Leasing and buying a car (and not getting screwed)**

## Healthcare

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-57-38-PM.gif?width=400&height=225&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-57-38-PM.gif)

**33. Intro to health insurance**  
**34. PPO vs. HMO**  
**35. HSA vs. FSA**  
**36. How to compare healthcare plans**  
**37. First-Aid & CPR Training**  
**38. Urgent care vs. ER**  
**39. STI testing**  
 Talk about not only when and why you should get tested but also where you can be tested for free (or cheap!)  
**40. Find a dentist/doctor/optometrist**  
**41. Financial assistance in case something does happen to you**

## Beyond Graduation

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-11-00-30-PM.gif?width=640&height=480&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-11-00-30-PM.gif)

**42. The basics of student loans**  
**43. Repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)**  
**44. Refinancing**  
**45. Graduate school applications and funding**  
**46. GRE/LSAT/MCAT**

## Careers

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-51-37-PM.gif?width=480&height=269&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-51-37-PM.gif)

**47. Managing online job searches**  
 There are so many different tools to use for your search, so look outside of your usual few websites!  
**48. Resumes and cover letters**  
**49. Overcoming the fear of failure**  
**50. Dressing for success**  
 You can take this program a lot of different directions. You can have an open discussion about things like tattoos, piercings, or brightly-dyed hair. You could host an interview-outfit free closet. Or you could have a conversation around what professional dress even means and how implicit bias plays a role in our perception of it.  
**51. Tie a tie (and bowtie)**  
**52. Interviews and thank yous**  
**53. Networking**  
**54. Asking people for (positive) recommendations**  
**55. Applying for internships and jobs**  
**56. Negotiating benefits**  
**57. How to quit a job**

## Food

![Great British Bake Off gif](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-59-90-PM.gif?width=600&height=338&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-59-90-PM.gif)

**58. Cooking basics**  
 Since this is college, after all, you could also cover how to make healthy meals with nothing but a microwave.  
**59. Baking basics**  
**60. Brewing the perfect coffee**  
**61. Operate a grill**  
**62. Cooking on a budget**  
[Buzzfeed](https://www.buzzfeed.com/spoonuniversity/easy-college-recipes?utm_term=.isKvvme3p#.vsA550oE4) has some awesome 5 or less ingredient recipes. You can also check out the [Good and Cheap Cookbook](https://cookbooks.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf) for healthy meals that are under $4 per serving.  
**63. What to know about fad diets**

## Travel

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-53-53-PM.gif?width=480&height=271&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-53-53-PM.gif)

**64. Traveling on a budget**  
**65. Staying safe abroad**  
**66. Getting around without a phone**  
 Planning ahead, public transport, and yes, even reading *paper* maps.  
**67. Packing for a trip**  
**68. Staying healthy while abroad**  
 Getting vaccinated, staying hydrated, watching what you eat.  
**68. How to make a campfire**  
**69. Survival skills**

## Self-Care

 

![dog bath gif](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/tenor-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-02-PM.gif?width=498&height=280&name=tenor-Apr-05-2022-03-10-56-02-PM.gif)

**70. Meditation**  
**71. Managing Stress**  
**72. Yoga**  
**73. How to identify burnout**  
**74. Identifying a toxic workplace**  
**75. Time management**  
 Check out our blog posts on our [top time management life hacks](http://presence.io/blog/15-time-management-hacks-for-student-affairs-professionals/?utm_source=in-text&utm_medium=adulting101&__hstc=190569908.f6de57cb5569943b982ff701d4e1590a.1649150177072.1649150177072.1649150177072.1&__hssc=190569908.41.1649150177072&__hsfp=1561754925)  
**76. Who should I talk to?**  
 A breakdown of when it’s time to talk to friends, a mentor, or a counselor  
**77. Daily skin care routine**  
 AKA SPF saves lives  
**78. Defining your happiness**  
 No one else can make you happy; they can make you feel happy, but you create your happiness.

## Communication

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-52-53-PM.gif?width=450&height=245&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-52-53-PM.gif)

**79. Active listening**  
 Listening is more than just hearing. How to process what people are saying and show someone that you truly understand.  
**80. Basic American Sign Language**  
**81. How to identify your own passive-aggressive behavior**  
**82. How to source trustworthy news on the internet**  
**83. Repercussions of social media behavior**  
 Looking at the positives and negatives of putting your life online, plus how to keep your private life private.  
**84. How to make phone calls**  
 Setting-up appointments, knowing the right questions to ask folks, and how to politely end a call.

## Relationships

 

![Wet Hot American Summer awkward kiss gif](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-58-58-PM.gif?width=500&height=264&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-58-58-PM.gif)

**85. Talking finances with your significant other(s)**  
**86. How to identify and break up with your own toxic relationship habits**  
**87. Spotting unhealthy romantic relationships**  
 Understanding that a relationship is two or more individuals who are joining forces, not combining to make one person.  
**88. Having a loving relationship with yourself**  
**89. Managing relationships at work**  
**90. Dance like an adult**  
 Did someone say Electric Slide?  
**91. Moving in with a significant other**  
**92. How to break up**

## Housework

![](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-53-96-PM.gif?width=480&height=200&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-53-96-PM.gif)

**93. How to do laundry**  
 Going beyond the “sniff test”.  
**94. How to iron clothes**  
**95. How to make the bed**  
 Hospital corners, galore!  
**96. Cleaning essentials**  
 Specifically which chemicals to mix and not mix, plus at-home remedies that are healthier for you and the environment.  
**97. Guide to recycling**  
[Here’s a handy guide](https://naturalsociety.com/recycling-symbols-numbers-plastic-bottles-meaning/) for understanding the recycling symbols on plastics.  
**98. Change a fuse**  
**99. Clean an oven**

## Sports

 

![skating fail gif](https://sapro.moderncampus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Destiny/Imported_Blog_Media/giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-59-16-PM.gif?width=500&height=280&name=giphy-Apr-05-2022-03-10-59-16-PM.gif)

**100. Swim**  
**101. Ride a bike and change a tire**  
 Keep your bike in tip-top shape and keep it safe.  
**102. Throw a football**  
**103. Find a local club sport**  
**104. How to play fantasy football**  
**105. Creating a workout that’s right for you**

How are you feeling? Overwhelmed? Slightly inexperienced? Me too! Nevertheless, you’ve made it to this point and that’s truly an achievement.

As always, if you think we’ve missed something, then tweet at us [@LucasBurh](https://twitter.com/lucasburh) and [@themoderncampus](https://twitter.com/HelloPresence).

![Luke Burton](http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f81a66f6bc6c75752d773ebd2be6a9c2?s=800&d=mm&r=g)

**About the author:** Learn how we can help [get your students involved](https://moderncampus.com/products/student-engagement-and-learning-platform.html?utm_medium=author-bio&utm_source=sapro-blog&utm_content=blog/105-adulting-101-program-ideas).

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