4 Ways to Nurture Happy, Healthy Students
Dorm life is one of the most essential parts of the entire college experience. Active learning environments like schools and universities have a major impact on the course of many students’ lives, especially when they aren’t just studying on campus… they’re living there.
Building a solid student housing experience.
Making every day a positive, productive experience for students is at the heart of what we do at Smarter Furnishings. But in order to do this, we needed to first understand what qualities about our products nurture the happiest students long-term.
You might be wondering what kind of role furniture plays in a student’s overall happiness. In general, people are greatly influenced by their surroundings every day. Whether it’s the people they spend time with, the food they eat, or the quality of the products (i.e. furniture!) they use, a student’s happiness can be directly linked to their everyday experience at work, school, and home. In this case, their dorm life serves as all three.
So, what exactly are the qualities about student housing furniture that make for the happiest students? Here’s what we know…
1. Students should feel comfortable every single day.
Just like the furniture you buy for your home, comfort makes all the difference in creating a positive environment. The furniture a student uses every day can be directly related to how motivated, prepared, and well-rested they feel in their daily lives.
If your students have complained to their RA about uncomfortable furniture, don’t take it lightly. Instead, help set them up for success by creating a more inviting environment they can live and learn in without distraction. This will pay off for both you and your students long- term… guaranteed!
2. Product safety is essential.
Providing students with furniture that was built with safety in mind is a sure way to show them you care about their overall health and happiness. This means paying extra attention to two important questions: Is the furniture easy to clean? And is it safe for everyday use?
Your students aren’t trained cleaning professionals. To keep them safe from the spread of germs and viruses that live on commonly-touched surfaces, they need to be able to clean their furniture effectively. Partnering with a student housing furniture provider that considers this during the manufacturing process can be a game-changer when it comes to everyday cleanliness. If it’s specially designed with materials and a structure that is easy for your students to clean, there’s a better chance they’ll get the job done right and stay healthy during their time on campus.
When it comes to safety, it’s also important to look at the product itself—not just what lives on its surface. From falling out of a chair or bed to cuts from sharp, protruding corners, furniture can lead to all kinds of injuries in small living spaces. At Smarter Furnishings, we ensure our products are secure and safe by using high-quality materials like time-tested mortise and tenon joinery and solid wood construction. Because student safety is essential!
3. Practicality fosters productivity.
Furniture that’s designed and built for practical, everyday use is another great way to keep your students productive and happy. Does it have what they need to effectively live and learn? Are there extra compartments and “cubbies” for ample storage space? Answering yes to questions like these can help turn small, cramped spaces into thriving environments for your students.
It’s also important to look at the materials when considering how practical your furniture is. Was it built to withstand the toughest days in your students’ lives? Can it be used multiple times a day, every day without faulting?
To help keep students happy and provide our customers with the best long-term value, Smarter Furnishings provides a 25-year product warranty on ALL furniture. This extra effort is just our way of saying, “we’ve got you and your students covered.”
4. Personalized style makes all the difference!
If you ask them, many students will probably tell you style is one of the most important qualities in their furniture (next to comfort). As any designer will tell you, descriptive elements of furniture, such as color, shape, and size, work together to establish the “mood” in any room. In order to make your students feel at home in their new environment, the furniture you choose needs to represent what they want or need in some way.
At Smarter Furnishings, we work hard to make sure every student feels at home during their college experience. By offering design customization tailored to your space requirements, we’re able to provide customers (and their students) with stylish furniture and trendy, smart floor plans that fit within their live-learn lifestyle.
Don’t tell your students they’re a priority to you… show them!
Choose the best for them during their time with you to encourage a positive, productive college experience and happy, healthy students long-term.
Let’s meet! We can livestream demonstrations from our showroom or schedule in-person presentations at your convenience. Give us a call at (205) 621-2502 or contact us online.