A recent survey conducted by student housing developer, Core Spaces, of nearly 2,500 college students throughout the United States, reveals how Covid-19 has impacted them – including their mental state, sentiment about remote learning, personal and parents' finances and more. Core Spaces emailed the survey to student residents at 19 Core Spaces properties across 12 cities in 11 states. Responses were collected from June 2 to June 9.
“These important survey results speak to a wide range of ways the pandemic has impacted our young people,” explained Marc Lifshin, founder and chief executive officer of Core Spaces. “Their responses provide valuable insight into how college students are hurting and what they want. More than ever, it's crucial we do our best to make sure their housing is a welcoming and safe place.”
KEY FINDINGS:
Living preferences
Nearly 90% of respondents said they want to come back to campus when classes begin this fall.
72.5% of respondents would like to get back to their universities even if the schools continue online instruction in the fall.
Economic impact / confidence
More than three out of five (63.3%) respondents said the pandemic resulted in economic difficulties for themselves and their families in the following ways:
- Their summer job was canceled (57%)
- Their summer job hours or pay were reduced (32%)
- One of their parents lost his or her job (21%)
- One of their parents had hours or pay reduced (55%)
When it came to how students felt about their future job prospects due to the pandemic, nearly 20% were much less confident, and more than 40% were somewhat less confident. And 40% felt their job prospects were the same as before the pandemic.
Remote learning & studying
Nearly 60% of respondents said online classes had been a negative experience for them.
Nearly eight out of 10 said they feel they'd be more successful studying remotely in their apartments vs. their family’s homes.
Confidence with being safe back at school
90% of respondents were either "very confident" (46.6%) or "somewhat confident" (43.4%) that their universities would take appropriate and available measures to help protect them and other students from spreading the virus.
More than 85% of respondents were either "very confident" (41.6%) or "somewhat confident" (43.7%) that their student housing provider (Core Spaces) would take appropriate and available measures to help protect them and other student residents from spreading the virus.
Psychological impact
Since Covid-19’s onset, students said they had experienced the following:
- Sleep pattern has changed (76%)
- Feel more anxious or stressed (75%)
- Feel more depressed or worried (55.5%)
- Seen a professional for physical or mental health (12%)
Desire for vaccine
When asked how likely they are to want a vaccine if/when it is made available, 63% said very likely, 25.6% said somewhat likely, and 11.3% said not likely.
In total, there were 2,490 respondents from 19 Core Spaces properties in 12 cities and 11 states. The universities/cities, in order of the highest number of respondents, include University of South Carolina, Columbia (324); Penn State, University City, Penn. (304); *University of Florida, Gainesville (273); Michigan State University, East Lansing (231); University of Central Florida, Orlando (225); Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. (205); University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (199 – three Core properties); *University of Arizona, Tucson (192); West Virginia University, Morgantown (144); University of Oklahoma, Norman (143); *University of Kentucky, Lexington (133); University of Mississippi, Oxford (116).
[*Represents two Core properties in the same city/campus.]
“There are so many unknowns around Covid-19," added Lifshin. “We, along with other student housing providers, need to do all we can to reduce the stress that students are feeling and increase their sense of comfort. We plan on offering a mindfulness and meditation program to our 15,000 residents starting late August – this same program had a positive impact on our own staff. We're also rolling out a wide variety of measures to consistently sanitize our buildings and continue to protect our residents.”
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jan 15, 2024
Multifamily rent growth rate unchanged at 0.3%
The National Multifamily Report by Yardi Matrix highlights the highs and lows of the multifamily market in 2023. Despite strong demand, rent growth remained unchanged at 0.3 percent.
Self-Storage Facilities | Jan 5, 2024
The state of self-storage in early 2024
As the housing market cools down, storage facilities suffer from lower occupancy and falling rates, according to the December 2023 Yardi Matrix National Self Storage Report.
Designers | Dec 25, 2023
Redefining the workplace is a central theme in Gensler’s latest Design Report
The firm identifies eight mega trends that mostly stress human connections.
Contractors | Dec 12, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.5 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of November 2023
Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator inched up to 8.5 months in November from 8.4 months in October, according to an ABC member survey conducted Nov. 20 to Dec. 4. The reading is down 0.7 months from November 2022.
Market Data | Nov 27, 2023
Number of employees returning to the office varies significantly by city
While the return-to-the-office trend is felt across the country, the percentage of employees moving back to their offices varies significantly according to geography, according to Eptura’s Q3 Workplace Index.
Market Data | Nov 14, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.4 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of September 2023
Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator declined to 8.4 months in October from 9.0 months in September, according to an ABC member survey conducted from Oct. 19 to Nov. 2. The reading is down 0.4 months from October 2022. Backlog now stands at its lowest level since the first quarter of 2022.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 9, 2023
Multifamily project completions forecast to slow starting 2026
Yardi Matrix has released its Q4 2023 Multifamily Supply Forecast, emphasizing a short-term spike and plateau of new construction.
Contractors | Nov 1, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending increases for the 16th straight month, in September 2023
National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.3% in September, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.1 trillion.
Market Data | Oct 23, 2023
New data finds that the majority of renters are cost-burdened
The most recent data derived from the 2022 Census American Community Survey reveals that the proportion of American renters facing housing cost burdens has reached its highest point since 2012, undoing the progress made in the ten years leading up to the pandemic.
Contractors | Oct 19, 2023
Crane Index indicates slowing private-sector construction
Private-sector construction in major North American cities is slowing, according to the latest RLB Crane Index. The number of tower cranes in use declined 10% since the first quarter of 2023. The index, compiled by consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), found that only two of 14 cities—Boston and Toronto—saw increased crane counts.