Life skills

[bodiddly]

Looking ahead to September and my teenager is likely, grades permitting, to head off to university. What life skills do you think an 18 year old should have - looking for the obvious such as cooking etc and budgeting and maybe some less usual?

How to bleed a radiator and how to top up the pressure on a boiler system.

Both of which unlikely to be needed before second year but yes, useful life skills to have. I would add, though, recognising situations in which topping up the pressure might be necessary - you've just over-enthusiastically bled all the radiators or is one of them leaking...?

I remember a message that my DD sent towards the end of her first year at uni .... "mum a girl on my course has just had a baby, she's responsible for another human being and I'm googling how to change a lightbulb"

How to use a loo brush
Booking a train ticket
How to reheat food safely - and how to freeze leftovers (pretty good at cooking anyway)
Examples of laundry conundrums: whites/darks/woollens/managing cost vs need for a full load etc

How to have tackle issues with flatmates such as bin emptying, washing up, use of shared facilities in a respectful and assertive way - eg talking about the issue, considering others' views, coming to a shared solution vs sarky remarks, grumpiness, shouting and so on.

Agreed @RampantIvy University is not like college or school, they are unlikely to mention anything about assignments that are upcoming or due nor will they chase for them. In DC1s experience there is also very little guidance on what is required or expected in terms of essay writing. It is up to students themselves to find out and keep on top of things.

In DC1s experience there is also very little guidance on what is required or expected in terms of essay writing. It is up to students themselves to find out and keep on top of things.

Yes, DD was working "blind" for her first assignment. When the first exams were coming up one of the students asked the lecturer if the topic would be in the exam. He replied "this isn't school. We don't tell you what is in the exams"

Using their initiative when it comes to studying and writing essays. Time management, meeting deadlines, checking emails etc. University is a HUGE leap compared to school.

Don’t skip the “Study Skills” sessions in the first term.

An alarm clock and instructions on how it works and what it is for.

Don’t skip the “Study Skills” sessions in the first term.

I agree. DD had an entire lecture about plagiarism as well.

Agree, they often cover structure, referencing, research techniques as well. Don't skip "optional" seminars either.

Contraception.

Or "optional" labs if doing a STEM degree.

Thanks for all the top tips. The ones about not skipping optional seminars and lectures is spot on. My ds would definitely try that and come unstuck. He is hoping to do a stem subject so won't have a clue on techniques, labs etc.

STEM subjects have series of lectures so if you miss lecture one you won't understand subsequent lectures, so it is especially important that he doesn't miss lectures. Labs and seminars are NOT optional.

Or "optional" labs if doing a STEM degree

Common question from first year students…

”Why should I attend if I’m not going to get any credit for it?”

Exasperated response….

”Because you might learn something!”

I liked the "spotting when bin is full".
Would not have thought that needed teaching, but we (4 adults) do play a modified Jenga with it; who can put something in it without it falling out again

Bin jenga, love it!

DD didn’t know what to do when her laptop stopped working. She just took herself to the library for ages 🤯. I sent her a link to a computer repair shop and told her to let me know how much it is. Turns out is was something she could easily afford herself. Made her feel very stupid (her words).

Basic, but she never had to think about underwear, I would buy her every 6 months a couple of packs of black knickers and socks. They got pretty bad after a while after she left home, naturally, so she calls me and asks what is she doing wrong, why aren’t her socks holding anymore, and her knickers losing shape. Told her they’re not Teflon. ‘You been buying me Teflon underwear?’ No, you twit, but they wear off, you buy new ones.

I kept getting this money transfers into my account from her. £300 here, £500 there, labelled ‘savings’. I left her to it. One day I bring it up: errrm, why are you sending me money?’ Oh, she goes, so you can save it for me. Why can’t you save it yourself?!! How do you mean? I mean why don’t you open your own savings account?!! Turns out, because she always received money from relatives growing up, I always put them into her savings for her. So she knew how much she had, I would transfer her what she needed. Think driving lessons, festival tickets. So in her mind, savings are something mum manages.

that kind of stuff.

Will depend on the teenager I suppose. Mine were in halls in year 1 with most food provided. I paid their allowance weekly (so they never ran out although the down side of that is no budgeting needed). Our 5 passed their driving tests at age 17 although in year 1 did not take up the car, but did find that a useful skilli n year 2 onwards (although it is certainly not an essential university skill by any means).

Might need passport in year as they tend to sign up for a shared house for year 2 in the first term of year 1. I had to ship the passports down by signed for post etc.

I always say the most useful thing to take is boots' wax ear plugs