Starting this fall, the School of Arts and Sciences began offering a new one-credit course, SAS 101 (Shaping a College Life), more commonly referred to as “Adulting 101.” Though the name may sound silly, it was implemented in response to serious demand from students, parents and faculty.
“Within eight days of advertising this class to students, we filled up all three sections.” said Seth Smith, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the School of Arts and Sciences. “We had so many parents coming up to us during Orientation and saying how this is a fantastic idea. The students are really excited about this.”
Adulting 101 is intended to help University first-year students cross the threshold from high school to college. The course is designed to prompt personal growth by exploring practical, relational, and goal-setting methods for the transition to adult life.
Smith discussed the need to help new students cope with their newfound freedom so that they make the best of their years at the University. He said it is important for them to have an answer for the question: “Why are you here?” Asking students such fundamental questions is an essential “pathway” toward finding their purpose as adults.
Adulting 101 meets once a week and covers a different theme each time. Marcie Goeke-Morey and Brendan Rich, associate professors of psychology, as well as vice president for student affairs, Judi Biggs Garbuio, teach the three sections of the class this semester. They invite speakers who are experienced in each topic to talk. Themes include community building, study and work habits, campus involvement, and even college dating tips.
Smith says it is also essential to student success that they are aware of campus resources. Orientation provides a basic introduction to offices like the Center for Academic and Career Success, the Counseling Center, and the Office of Campus Activities, but students are overwhelmed with so much information presented in such a short timeframe. Adulting 101 provides a deeper dive into each service, including talks from faculty in each office.
Maddy Quidzinski, B.S. 2018, assistant director for Student Leadership in the Office of Campus Activities (OCA), was one staff member who gave a talk to the Adulting 101 classes this semester.
“I showed students what involvement looks like at CatholicU. Campus involvement has so many positive benefits, including feeling like you belong,” said Quidzinski.
The School of Arts and Sciences is planning to build on Adulting 101 with three separate one-credit follow-up courses to be taken by students during their freshman, sophomore, and senior years. Each course in the sequence would focus on a different area of life, respectively named “Shaping a College Life”, “Shaping a Worklife”, and “Shaping an Adult Life.”