Over the course of the past year, Millennials have, occasionally much to our chagrin, added a new verb to our lexicon: "adulting". But while the word has gotten plenty of flack from both people pointing at the "laziness" of Millennials as well as Millennials who find it condescending, there is an inherent truth to it: while our generation isn't as "lost" as people make it out to be, for some of us, there are some glaring holes in our basic knowledge of taking care of miscellaneous things that a YouTube tutorial just can't fix. Enter The Adulting School that just opened in Portland, Maine, which has the intention of giving twentysomethings the tools to do just that.
Created by Rachel Weinstein, a psychotherapist, and Katie Brunelle, a writer and former public school teacher, The Adulting School offers members workshop events, blog posts, and webinars, featuring experts in topics ranging from health and wellness, fix-it skills, relationships, and financial basics.
"People are finding themselves in situations that life just hasn't prepared them for. Whether it hasn't come up, they were never taught, or they didn't pay enough attention in school, life happens anyway," writes Klehinger to Bustle. "Our goal is to help people be well-rounded and prepared and do it in a non-threatening, even fun, way."
The existence of The Adulting School has, predictably, drawn its share of criticism — particularly from people who think people should be able to figure out the kinds of tasks the service is offering to teach for themselves. But when you consider that Millennials grew up in a world far more fast-paced and digital than preceding generations, it isn't all that shocking that the "basics" fell to the wayside; after all, if we had any questions, we were kind of just expected to Google them. And I'm not talking basics like getting up in the morning or having a job, which are so often used as semi-ironic examples of "adulting" — but things like julienning vegetables, patching a hole in the wall, and knowing exactly how frequently you're supposed to go to each type of doctor.
Seriously, take their "adulting quiz" — even as a grownass woman who has a handle on my life, there are plenty of things on there that I don't know how to do, but probably should, for the sake of my wallet and my peace of mind. And even though this kind of service certainly isn't for everybody, it's might be an especially helpful concept for people with social anxiety. Many people, non-Millennials included, feel anxious about talking on the phone or even anxious to ask questions about things that they already "should" know. For that set, this seems to be a winning solution.
And you don't necessarily have to live in Maine to use this resource. "Right now, our live events are only in Portland," Klehinger tells Bustle. "We are currently working on a robust website with all the content that anyone would need to adult with ease. They can expect video, audio, slideshows and more."
You can head to The Adulting School's website for a schedule of their events and to learn more about accessing their webinars, blog posts, and other community-based resources. And even if you don't need the service, you can still get involved — they're looking for experts to help expand their education base even more.
Images: Pexels
