How To Encourage Good Health And Wellness Among Student Tenants

Living away from loved ones can get tough for any student that’s off studying to college, and many may still require help and guidance from someone older and more experienced. Dorm and apartment tenants lacking the proper facilities to work, relax, and stay clean could become sick and more stressed.

If you’re a landlord for a dorm or apartment building for students, your tenants’ health and well-being should be one of your top priorities. Because you can’t keep an eye on every individual, the best you can do is to encourage them to take care of themselves. Here are some ways how to do it:

• Post Reminders To Keep Spaces Clean

With the near-constant stresses of schoolwork, many student tenants often forget to clean their rooms and subsequent surroundings. Neglecting hygiene and cleanliness could result in bacteria and mold growing in living spaces and make people sick. Hence, practicing proper disinfection routines in rooms and areas with high student foot traffic is essential.

You can get around the issue of non-cleanliness by posting reminders on residential floors and places where most students gather. Sometimes, people need something or someone to remind them to do things, and well-placed signage may be what they need.

• Limit The Number Of Tenants In Each Room

Everyone has a right to their privacy. But it’s challenging to keep it when you share a living space with too many people. Henceforth, consider limiting the number of students renting a room.

Many student accommodations strictly allow only two people per unit, while others may have as many as three or four. The number of tenants you choose per room may depend on two factors:

• Square feet size of the room;
• Local government requirements; and the like.

Stuffing more than the limit in a room may cause conflict among the roommates who value more privacy. It might be harder for you to keep track of everyone living in your dorm or apartment building too. The more people there are in a unit may result in more messes.

Ideally, you should follow a 1:1 ratio of one bed or bedroom per person. If you place more than one bunk bed, ensure the room is spacious enough for three-to-four students’ living arrangements.

• Set Up Recreational Spaces

Schooling shouldn’t only be about studying. Students need to have some downtime and fun too. Participating in exciting activities and socializing may help reduce feelings of depression and anxiety among the student tenants. That’s why most colleges and universities offer various extracurricular activities to build well-rounded individuals. Also, your dorm could fare well if you had designated areas for recreational activities.

Recreational spaces can range from game rooms to gyms and lounge areas with ample Wi-Fi connection. Students can use the available amenities whenever they like and even plan dorm-wide events for all residents to enjoy. These rooms are a great way to let students make new friends and build stronger relationships, especially if they’re freshmen.

If no one’s initiating an activity, you could start one yourself. Schedule a game or movie night for students who’d rather not go outside on the weekends. Or you may provide an area for school-related activities if no other is available on campus as well.

• Provide Proper Meals

Not all dorms and student apartments have a mess hall or canteen where tenants can eat. But if yours has a communal kitchen, consider offering better, well-balanced meal options. As a start, you can stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables daily for the students.

Nonetheless, if dorm regulations in your location don’t allow tenants to cook in their rooms, you can lead students to the various food establishments nearby. Post a city map that indicates restaurants serving vegan meals, international cuisine, and healthy food options. Your student tenants, especially first-year students, will have an easier time finding a place to eat and satisfy their cravings while staying away from fast food all week.

• Prioritize Security

In addition to making dorms clean and peaceful, they must have safety features in place as well. Security is one of the factors you should remember when managing student housing. Sadly, around 70% of dorm crimes across the country in 2012-2014 involved theft. If security had been a priority, students could’ve prevented these issues.

Here are some examples of security features for student housing:

• All rooms must have locks on doors and windows which students can close before leaving for class.
• Remind all tenants of dorm guest policies and advise them not to bring in anyone they don’t know personally.
• Install door, window, and smoke alarms in every room to alert residents of an emergency.

Plus, your student tenants’ wellness is dependent on their safety in the dorms. Living in an unsafe building adds stress to any person. So, to make the following years of college life worthwhile for the residents, keep their living spaces safe at all times.

In Conclusion

When students start living independently, they’re free to try new things, yet they may forget to take care of themselves. As a dorm or apartment landlord, you must remind your young tenants to maintain their rooms’ cleanliness and follow the house rules. That way, people avoid contracting diseases and starting conflicts in the dorms. They’ll eventually learn to become better adults on their own.

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