1. How to conduct yourself appropriately on social media, including the awareness that employers can and do view your accounts when considering hiring you...
2. Cooking skills, including a solid repertoire of cheap, healthy meals.
3. First aid – there are a lot of great inexpensive courses to get a basic introductory certification in CPR. This includes mental health first aid, which is so important for college kids! How to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse, in yourself and others.
4. How to put together a great resume and cover letter, how to interview well, and how to network.
5. Basic home maintenance and practical skills. My dad is a big believer in this, and has taught me woodwork, sewing, knitting, changing lightbulbs, changing tires, jump-starting cars, house painting, hanging pictures, checking the smoke detectors...
6. Insurance, taxes, credit cards, investing, 401K, all those other delightful things they should teach about in school but usually don't.
7. How to deal with failure! At my school, we had a panel of people come to talk to us who hadn't made it the first time around in their field. They had been laid off, or not gotten into college or grad school, or made mistakes, but had taken slightly nontraditional routes and made it in the end. I remember being fascinated and inspired that things don't always go your way but there are ways to get there. It's a sentiment that motivated, high-achieving college students aren't always familiar with...
