What do you think are the essential life skills an 18 year old needs when starting University are the t

[josben]

Just trying to list the important knowledge / skills that are needed at 18 , to help my DC when they start uni ,,?
TIA

How to cook basic cheap meals. Including how to shop effectively.

How to wash their clothes and how often to change bedding.

How to properly clean.

How to manage a budget.

How to manage any medication they take and organise replacing it

How to make dr / dentist / optometrist appointments by themselves.

What do do when they’re drunk.

How to book a train/plane ticket and how to travel independently to and from where they need to get to.

Budgeting and making their student loan last.
Shopping and cooking.
Washing up and keeping tidy.
Doing their own laundry from start to finish.
Having the confidence to make their own decisions about what they want to do e.g. Drink, drugs, who they hang out with, and not just going along with the crowd.

An awareness of how their bank account and university finance will work, the ability to budget for food and cook some healthy meals from scratch, knowledge about when to seek further help for illness. How to work a washing machine. How to get help from student support for help if things go wrong.

Also ... hygiene - particularly in Covid times - I.e. how to clean surfaces to kill both bacteria and viruses.

Ohh yes. How to get help from student support is a good one.

Also talk to lecturers if you’re struggling don’t just bury your head and ignore them they don’t want you to fail.

So I’d call that how to ask for help?

All of the previously mentioned life skills should be taught long before a child reaches the age of 18.

Thanks for your posts - all v good advice :)

All of the previously mentioned life skills should be taught long before a child reaches the age of 18.. Not all of them - banking etc. I think OP is just trying to make sure she's not missed anything off.

Another one - safety with electricity, plugs etc.

Basic first aid

Conflict management - how to cope if your corridor in student accommodation is party central but you just want to quietly study. Or indeed vice versa!

Sexual health - using condoms, what to do in the event of a contraception disaster.

Fire safety - don't light candles all over a student room you've filled with wafty wall hangings.

Things to do if you are homesick/lonely/panicking about stuff.

Cooking is definitely the main one though! Ensure they can make some tasty rock bottom skint meals like daal, vegetable curry/casserole, risotto etc.