Adulting 101

Overview

Have you ever wished that you could give your students a taste of what the world of adulthood is like? Take financial literacy and career exploration off the workbook page and into action with our new career simulation game: Adulting 101. It is designed to help students make budgeting decisions, understand the connection between higher education and career advancement, and experience the consequences and rewards of “adulting.”

In the game, each student receives a card that includes their career, their level of education (high school, TCAT, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or advanced degree), their monthly paycheck, family size, and family scenario.

With this information, students will become members of the thriving metropolis of Volunteer Station, a fictional Tennessee town, and will need to purchase housing, transportation, utilities, food and home goods, and insurance. Students beware: bumps in the road, like a doctor’s visit or an unexpected expense, may pop up from the mysterious “green reaper,” whose randomly distributed cards introduce an element of chaos into even the most balanced budget!

Students who experience a “budget-busting” scenario will work with a “Financial Coach” to reflect on their choices and revamp their spending. Students whose career does not require a postsecondary credential can visit the Tennessee Reconnect station, based on Tennessee’s new adult learner scholarship to earn a credential and take their career to the next level!