Adulting 101 Classes: Not Just for Students Anymore

KSMU | By Claire Kidwell

Published August 29, 2018 at 3:33 PM CDT

A flyer for the upcoming Adulting 101 classes at the Library Station.

The Library Station in Springfield is holding a series of classes called “Adulting 101,” and they’re drawing people from all stages of life.

Paige Harp, a youth services associate with the Springfield-Greene County Library District, designed the classes for her teens as they transitioned out of high school. But, when the district needed more people to attend the classes, it opened them up to all ages and was surprised to see both young adults and senior citizens show up.

“So it kind of opened the doors for a new kind of patron group that we didn’t know needed these skills. It kind of goes to show that like you plan something a certain way but you find a different need to fill.”

According to Harp, some senior citizens who attend the classes are widows who relied on their spouses for certain tasks. When their spouses died, they found themselves needing to learn how to do these things by themselves.

The classes are on a wide variety of topics, from budgeting to healthy eating. The Library Station brings in experts on each topic for presentations and for questions from the audiences. The classes are free and are held the first Thursday of every month.

The next class, on how to budget, will be held September 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Library Station.