Adulting 101: Skills you need and where to learn them in Tucson

Adulting is hard.

And some of us are still getting the hang of it.

Even when we manage to pay our bills on time, schedule our own dentist appointments and cook relatively healthy meals, there's still so much to know. 

They don't teach you this stuff in school. 

And when it comes to navigating life confident and empowered, ignorance is not bliss. 

We gotta know this stuff.

That's why we put together this list of places in Tucson where you can continue your education. We are not opposed to adding to this list. 

We'll see you in class. 💪💪💪

Learn car care 101 🚗

For some of us, our knowledge of car care goes as far as pumping gas and checking tire pressure (🙋 guilty!). 

But deep down we realize we should at least know enough to hold our own when a mechanic suggests additional repairs on top of that oil change. So let's fix that.  

🚘  Sign up for the car care clinic at BRAKEmax, 3245 N. Swan Road, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. The free clinic includes a presentation about how your car works and a time for Q&A. Space is limited to 30 attendees. Register here: clinic.brakemax.com. Call 318-4000 for more information. 

Fix your bike

You should also know how to fix your bike. Simple as that. 

🚲  BICAS, 44 W. Sixth Street, has a basic maintenance class for $20. It's a one-time, three-hour course that goes over, you guessed it, basic maintenance. The class is BYOB —  bring your own bike. Upcoming classes are Saturday, April 1, Tuesday, April 4, Friday, April 7 and Tuesday, April 18. Visit bicas.org for more information or call 628-7950. 

• You can also sign up for the $90 five-day Build-a-Bike course to learn all things bikes. The classes in April are 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 11 to Saturday, April 15. There's a weekend class 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to Sunday, April 30.

• Also check out the Women Trans* Femme (WTF) workshop 4-7 p.m. Mondays. The cost to use community tools is $6 to $12 per hour. 

Tap into your inner Karate Kid

Nothing inspires confidence like knowing some basic self-defense moves. We're not talking about becoming Taekwondo masters (but bonus points if that's your goal). This is about getting strong and staying safe. 

💪  Rising Phoenix Fitness and Defense, 2201 E. Broadway, offers a free self defense class for women 5-6 p.m. Fridays. The class is about the same every week and acts as an introduction to the school's Krav Maga focus. Visit tucsonselfdefenseandfitness.com or call 838-1592 for more information. 

💪 The Oro Valley Police Department offers an intense program called Rape Aggression Defense. This is a free, 12-hour self defense course for women that includes hands-on training and an educational component. The class is spread out over several sessions and attendance is required. Right now, the police department is creating a list of women interested in its next class, which is TBD. To get on that list call 229-5080. For more information visit orovalleyaz.gov/police/rad-rape-aggression-defense.

💪 The Pima County Sheriff's Department also offers a Rape Aggression Defense course, but those are all full currently. Check pimasheriff.org/department-services/rad for updated information. You can get on a waiting list for the next class by calling 351-4615. 

Make a budget 💸💸💸

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Yes. Ugh. But responsible money management is one of those things that can make life so much easier. Beyond budgeting, learn about retirement plans, insurance and investment. Your future self will thank you. 🙏

💰 The University of Arizona offers a free, online personal finance course. It takes roughly 15 hours to work through the materials and is mostly structured as content to read and then answer questions about. But look, you're in the comfort of your own home working at your own pace. NO EXCUSES. Click here for the intro. 

💰 Find a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class in town. These classes go through how to become debt-free, save up and make a plan for your future. (Note: Ramsey brings a biblical worldview to his money managing philosophies). The classes are $93 plus $9 for shipping material. Learn more or sign up at daveramsey.com/fpu. Here are upcoming Tucson classes currently listed: 

• At Calvary Oro Valley, 6901 La Cañada Drive, 6:30 p.m. Fridays, May 5 to June 30. 
• At Freedom's Gate Ministries, 5624 S. Mission Road 6:30 p.m. Sundays May 7 to July 16.
• At Bethel Baptist Church, 11040 E. Escalante Road, 7 p.m. Wednesdays Sept. 6 to Nov. 8. 

💰 For those further along in the financial journey, Aspire by TCI Wealth provides financial and investment consulting for young professionals — seriously, they don't take people older than 45. This is for people ready to stash some serious cash for savings and retirement who need some sound consulting. A branch of the Tucson-based TCI Wealth Advisors Inc., Aspire's consulting fee is 1 percent annually of the assets they're managing for you. 

DIY

We're not talking about gallery walls and mason jars — though we love those, too. We mean using tools, fixing what's broke and doing some serious work. Just think  — that'll help you stick to that budget you just made.

🛠️ Xerocraft Hackerspace, 101 W. Sixth St., is where you can learn how to weld metal, work wood and 3D print (plus lots more). Xerocraft has tons of classes and provides plenty of tools for you to use. April classes include laser cutting, sewing and enameling on copper. Xerocraft also offers a WTF open hack night for women, trans and femme people. Visit xerocraft.org for more information and classes. 

🛠️ Home Depot frequently has classes for the homebody. From 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 15 you can learn to stain your patio or deck and during the same time on Saturday, April 22 you can learn to install tile. Those are offered at all Tucson locations, but you'll want to check back at homedepot.com/workshops as classes are added. 

Patch your pants...

...or sew a button or hem a skirt. You don't have to be a stitch witch to know basic skills that can save you some cash when you know how to make your own clothing repairs or do your own alterations.

👗 Sew Hip at 3400 E. Speedway is a sewing boutique and studio, with fabrics for sale and classes for learning. Their "Sewing 101" class is $150 for 12 hours of instruction and application. They also have classes for kids ages 8-14 and and project-oriented sessions. To register for a class, visit sew-hip.com. Call 314-1894 for more information. 

👗 We already told you about Xerocraft — they also do sewing classes and have a machine you can borrow on site. Visit xerocraft.org for more information. 

👗 Jo-Ann Stores also have a basic "Learn to Sew" class. The 2-and-a-half-hour session teaches basic skills and how to use a sewing machine. These classes are currently available at the 4380 N. Oracle Road and 7255 E. Broadway locations. The class is $35. Visit joann.com/classes/sewing-classes to find dates and times at the location of your choice. 

Survive the wilderness

This is more than just hiking Sabino and filling up your CamelBak. This is about knowing some basics so that if your phone with its handy GPS-flashlight-compass combo goes out, you're not screwed. 

🌵 REI's Tucson store, 160 W. Wetmore Road, has a number of classes that deal with all things outdoors (plus some classes on bike maintenance and yoga. Who knew?) You need to sign up early, as classes fill up fast. Visit rei.com/stores/tucson for more options or call the store at 887-1938. Upcoming are:

• Map & Compass Navigation 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2 at REI. The class is $40 for non-members and $30 for members. Register here. 
• Camp Cooking Basics 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 3 at REI. This class is free! Register here. 
• Backpacking Basics 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 10 at REI. Also free! Register here. 
• Other future classes in May and June include Preparing for the Unexpected - Outdoor Emergency Basics, Women's Backpacking Basics and First Aid Essentials - What's in your kit? 

Save a life

We saved the most important for last. Learn CPR and brush up on intro to first aid. Many of the classes require you to purchase an American Heart Association workbook. Here are a few places in Tucson that offer these classes: 

😷 Eclipse CPR Training, 4500 E. Speedway, $45 for the first aid/CPR course, not including the workbook. Visit eclipsecpr.com or call 623-0539.

😷 Desert Fire CPR & First Aid with a number of classes at the American Evangelical Lutheran Church, 115 N. Tucson Blvd., $40 to $55 for the combo course, depending on whether you have purchased a book. Visit desertfirecpr.net or call 440-4277. 

😷 Save a Life Foundation, 300 S. Fire Central Place, $20 for a textbook and $50 for a first aid / CPR class offered in multiple locations. Visit savealifetfd.com.

😷 The Northwest Fire District offers a free 60-minute course on hands-only CPR. To learn more or register, email CPR@northwestfire.org. Call 887-1010.