A Life Skills Curriculum for College Students

There has been a shift in recent years in the mindset of college students. Students no longer flock to universities just for the experience or for the chance to become “more well rounded.” Instead, students seek out a college education to ensure they are more employable after graduation.

According to The Washington Post, though college graduates may not be unemployed, the reality is that 40% of college graduates are underemployed, meaning they are in jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree.

These employment outcomes may result from poor preparation in an area where young adults are often considered lacking: life skills. Life skills enable adults to function properly in society and include stress management, study habits, financial knowledge, self-care, social awareness, and the general ability to work well with anyone.

Millennials and Gen Zers who feel that they lack these abilities now take “adulting” classes to learn new skills to help them not only function better personally, but to make them more desirable candidates for any number of jobs. CBS News notes that these courses include cooking skills, budgeting, time management, conflict resolution, and even sewing.

Colleges can do more to facilitate this type of learning through introductory college courses for first-year students, workshops, and additional training on campus. Teaching these adult life skills at the undergraduate level not only helps universities with enrollment, but also trains students to be well-adapted members of the workforce and society.

Life skills are important for everyone, but particularly college students coming from various lived experiences, financial situations, and ability levels. They may lack more basic skills that they’ll need for employment or to navigate the challenging aspects of adult life.

Effectively managing time and being responsible are adult life skills that college graduates need to successfully navigate not only their careers, but their personal lives as well. In life, everyone is performing a juggling act between work, family, fun, and bills. But no matter what obligations you have outside work, companies expect their employees to be responsible individuals who can manage their time wisely.

Though we tell students to manage their time, we don’t often explain what that means or give them the proper tools to improve this skill.

Many college students struggle with money due to a lack of financial education prior to high school graduation, but it’s also due to the financial stress of college. In fact, some students struggle with budgeting to the point that they run out of money while they’re in school.

Money.com explains that due to unexpected expenses, the cost of tuition, books, and other college fees, many students run out of funds prior to the end of the semester. This can be detrimental to their success and can also set them up for debt and other issues upon graduation — if they can even afford to graduate.

With the steadily increasing demands of school, there has also been growing concern for the mental health of college students. From dealing with food insecurity to having to work while in school, students have a lot to deal with beyond the classroom. Learning to embrace self-care and manage stress provides a foundation of coping skills that graduates can use in the workforce.

Many students learn motivation and perseverance techniques at institutions like Purdue Fort Wayne through support staff, coursework, and orientations and classes designed for first-year students. However, it can be difficult for some students to stay motivated when the going gets tough.

In recent years, higher education professionals have focused on developing student perseverance to increase retention rates. According to Inside Higher Ed, students are more likely to persevere and stay motivated if they possess self-efficacy (i.e., the belief in their ability to succeed), have a sense of belonging, and perceive value in the school’s curriculum.

Cultural competency is an important life skill for students to acquire in order to work well with others, both personally and professionally. Like any other skill, cultural competency requires learning and practice — something Tiffin University (TU) in Ohio is tackling to ensure that its students can work with diverse groups of people following graduation.

According to TU’s president, Dr. Lillian Schumacher, “Developing cultural competence takes a lifetime to perfect because this ability has to do with human behavior, which is complex, complicated, and messy. Recognizing this early on can be extremely valuable to the way in which an individual works towards continuous development of cultural competency.”

Through their initiative, Celebrating CulTUral Uniqueness, TU has made great strides to ensure not only that cultural skills are in the general education curriculum, but that students and teachers earn certification in this core competency. “We are thrilled with offering this certification,” says Dr. Schumacher. “It is an exceptional program for any audience wanting to strengthen their cultural competencies and their ability to work with individuals who are different than them. This program will change mindsets and strengthen our understanding, acceptance, and valuing of diversity and inclusion.”

Above all, these are critical skills to the success of all college graduates that seek employment, especially as more companies become globally minded and grow in cultural diversity.