Northwestern Mutual: 6 Skills Teens Can Learn Before Leaving for College

Heading off to college can be an exciting time for teens as it offers them their first taste of independence going into adulthood. But part of ensuring teens are ready to thrive as adults helping them to learn some essential skills, from how to do laundry to how student loans work. Here are some useful skills teenagers can learn before they leave for college and start the next phase of their lives.

Managing time efficiently

Learning time management skills is one of the most important things for teenagers to know when they become college students. When it comes to blocking off time for things like studying and classwork, teens can use tools like:

• A calendar app on their phone
• A whiteboard on the fridge or wall
• A paper calendar for their desk
• A physical or digital planner to take with them

These simple tools can help teens break up their days, weeks, or months into digestible time blocks to finish all the important tasks they’ll need to complete in college to finish what needs to be done.

Keeping living spaces clean

Teenagers should also know how to keep their dorm room or apartment clean, and this all starts at home first. This will help them learn the value of having a clean space to hang out, study, and come home to after a long day at school.to after a long day at school. Ensure teens practice doing things like:

• Washing and putting away laundry
• Sweeping and vacuuming floors
• Emptying the trash
• Keeping their space free of crumbs, old food, and piles of clothes or paper

Building financial literacy

Fostering a sense of financial literacy is another vital skill to cultivate. Financial literacy can include teens learning answers to questions like “Why should I start a savings account?” or “How much does college cost?” Speaking about important topics like saving, budgeting, college tuition, and planning for other expenses can help set them up for success in their college years and beyond.

Taking time for personal care

Making time for personal care, including regular hygiene, exercise, rest, and other restorative practices, can help teens maintain balance. In addition to helping them cope with any stress they may face with busy schedules and exams, building time for personal care can help teens remember not to neglect themselves even when life, school, and studies get busy.

Learning about etiquette

As teens move into their college years, having a sense of etiquette (both in real life interactions and on social media platforms) can help them to present their best selves to the world around them.

Whether they learn to give a firm handshake and strong eye contact when meeting a professor or new friend for the first time or being thoughtful in their interactions on social media, practicing good etiquette will put them in the best possible position as they mature. This can also help them prepare for future employment opportunities and professional relationships.

Keeping safety in mind

Safety is another important skill, whether they attend college close to home or out of state. Safe habits can look different for each person’s lifestyle, but basics like letting friends or family know where they are going and when they will be back, being mindful about traveling alone or to unfamiliar areas, and texting or calling when they reach their destination are all useful practices to remember.  habits can look different for each person’s lifestyle, but basics like letting friends or family know where they are going and when they will be back, being mindful about traveling alone or to unfamiliar areas, and texting or calling when they reach their destination are all useful practices to remember.

By learning and applying these skills, teens will be equipped to head off to college and ready to learn, grow, and thrive as young adults.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI.

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Source: Northwestern Mutual

Contact: Don Klein, 1-800-323-7033