CABOT, Ark. — On Wednesday, students at Cabot Freshman Academy traded their math and English assignments for lessons in life skills.
"Adulting Day" included sessions on a variety of topics, including how to make an omelet, change a tire, and take care of a pet.
"Today is basically just trying to get a feel for what you're going to do once you turn 18 and become an adult," student Tyler Phillips said.
He attended a session on how to plant a garden.
"Things that you don't necessarily think of when you're just a kid, but things that they'll become important," he said.
Emma Durham learned how to properly set the table and attended a session on self-advocacy.
"It gives you a setup for what you want to do with your life going into these next three years of high school and determining 'how do I want to present myself to other people?'" Durham said.
Teachers were able to choose which topics they wanted to teach — making it a fun day for them too.
Keystone teacher DeAnne Tonnessen helped start adulting day several years ago when she and her colleagues realized a need.
"We have frequent conversations about the needs of the kids and discovering that they need more soft skills as they get out into the community and into the workforce," she said.
Students were able to attend five 20-minute sessions. As the morning came to a close, the real-life lessons had Phillips feeling one step closer to adulthood.
"Sometimes, we might not even need these algebraic concepts," Phillips said. "But something as simple as how to tie a tie, if you're going into a job that's going to require that every single day, it's something that you should learn when you're a freshman in high school."
Other adulting lessons included boating etiquette, meditation, how to schedule appointments, and more.