Frisco ISD is known for offering enhanced educational opportunities, including a Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) and numerous AP classes, to enrich students’ scholastic experience. As students, we can be confident that we are being prepared for a rigorous college experience. But can the same be said for the personal transition to adulting and college life?

Between dozens of AP classes, sports, instruments, volunteering, internships, and other commitments, we often do not have time to learn basic life skills. I noticed this knowledge gap in both myself and my peers as I began envisioning my independent life beyond high school. That is why I created Project Life Ready. 

Here is more information about it, via an interview with the founder, Ananya Krishna (also the author of this article). 

Hi Ananya, can you walk us through the thought process of starting your business?

In my community, and across the US in general, we have tools for academic enrichment at our disposal, but I think we need to focus more on overall well-being. This means improving the process, not just the results, considering optimizing your time, focusing on fitness and emotional health, rather than just academic accomplishments. I am a big believer in embracing the moment, but I also know that a lot of us are balancing that desire with a drive to succeed and reach these new heights. Keeping this idea of balance without sacrifice in mind, I put Project Life Ready together to essentially enable ambitious high schoolers, like myself, to ensure that they are happy and healthy while achieving their goals. 

I intentionally created the course to be under 60 minutes in duration and free of charge because I do not want there to be any obstacles to spreading this type of knowledge. Regardless of our personal goals, as humans, we share a desire and responsibility to live life to the fullest potential. This course is a foundational step toward just that.

I decided on four modules that I found to be the building blocks to my vision: time management, physical fitness, emotional well-being, and financial foundations.

Tell us more about your career. What can you share with our community?

To me, it is all about balance. I think it is easy for many people, including myself, to get caught up in a single-tracked focus. Yet, when we zoom out to the bigger picture, it is difficult to enjoy our professional or educational successes without prioritizing our health and state of mind. I believe Project Life Ready is an initiative to help others thrive in their initiatives. It was not easy to do countless hours of research and reach out to dozens of professionals until I found one who was willing to share their expertise. Remembering what gap in society I sought to solve and why it is so important gave me the motivation to continue working until I had a product I was pleased with. Of course, there are always areas for improvement, so I am always open to feedback. 

I have learned that change does not have to be a massive difference; it is more impactful when taken as small, consistent steps. 

I want the world to know that I have not always been someone who can zoom out to look at the bigger picture. I was, and still am, overwhelmed by my current work, focused on my high standards, and stressed about my future. Yet, I have learned how to balance these ambitions with workouts, family time, and emotional intelligence, which allow me to enjoy the process, rather than just pushing through until the results. All said and done, it is about being thoughtful about what truly matters in the long run.

Finally, I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me and reminding me to immerse myself in the things that I am genuinely passionate about. My mother’s belief that life is too short not to enjoy it, and my father’s principle of always working to better myself, inspired me to build Project Life Ready.

If you are a current teenager reading this article, I truly hope that you will give this course a try because I am confident that it will teach you at least one new skill that can help you enrich your life. If you have any questions, thoughts, or feedback, please feel free to contact me directly at ananyakrishna26@gmail.com. 

Project Life Ready: https://www.udemy.com/course/projectlifeready