How Furniture Impacts Student Wellness
Believe it or not, furniture is an important part of the student housing experience. With the recent shifts in how students are living and learning, comfort and stability in their sleep and study spaces is more important than ever.
It all comes down to this: Student wellness.
We don’t just believe furniture impacts student wellness—we know it. We’ve seen the affects healthy live-learn spaces can have on a student’s overall wellness firsthand. That’s why our team members spend their days perfecting every last detail of our products and collections.
Student housing directors and resident assistants (RAs) call on us to design, build, and install products that help improve their students’ studies and quality of life in 4 key areas:
1. Physical Wellness
Many studies have found that minimal stress and a ton of rest can help boost your immune system and fight off germs. For your students, this means they need furniture that’s comfortable, yet easy to clean—so they can rest easy knowing they don’t have to stress about getting sick at school.
Unfortunately, not all furnishings can withstand consistent cleaning without causing damage that costs you money. Some student housing furniture manufacturers use porous building materials in their interior construction, which can become exposed during wear and tear and harbor germs. These porous case goods can be difficult to clean, leaving students with two choices: clean frequently and risk product damage, or clean infrequently and risk the spread of germs.
This cycle is not only costly, but potentially harmful to a student’s physical health. So, to help students (and their loved ones) feel safer and stress a little less, we incorporated Acrovyn® wrapped case goods into our NEXT product line for extra protection. These products are strong, easy to clean, and one of the most bacteria-resistant options available in the industry.
2. Mental Wellness
Similarly, saying “yes” to rest and “no” to stress can also help improve mental health. In other words, comfortable, high-quality furniture can play a big role in how healthy a school’s student body feels overall.
Mentally, the healthier someone feels, the more prepared they typically are to take on their day (or in this case, their studies) with confidence, focus, and an enhanced sense of self. For schools, this is an opportunity to improve. A simple upgrade in furniture in your school’s bedrooms or common areas can help improve focus and enhance the student experience.
3. Academic Wellness
Another way student housing furniture impacts student wellness is by improving academic performance and overall success. On average, the drop-out rate for a student is a striking 40%.
By creating healthy live-learn spaces for students, the schools and universities we partner with can expect higher attendance rates. Why? Simple: students who are well-rested and happy are more likely to feel prepared for class and have an easier time focusing on their studies.
But that’s not the only way furniture impacts academic success… In addition to higher attendance, healthy live-learn spaces also help improve student retention rates for our education industry partners. Depending on the school, it can cost three to five times more to attract a new student than it does to retain one. So, creating living and learning spaces that are tailored to your students’ needs may be just what you need to inspire success in school.
4. Social Wellness
Many students and education industry professionals agree that a happy, healthy social life is critical to student success in school. But even more importantly, many health professionals agree it’s critical to their overall wellness.
For this reason, we recommend upgrading your common areas to be inviting and practical. This shift in your shared spaces can make all the difference in the school experience by encouraging students to come out of their rooms and engage with their peers.
Consider the combined physical, mental, academic, and social benefits of comfortable, durable furnishings. Then, ask yourself: Why not create the healthiest live-learn spaces possible?
Upgrade your school’s spaces today!
The Smarter Furnishings team is as committed to your students’ wellbeing as we are to the products we create for them. We’re here to help you improve student wellness with furniture that caters to their sleep and study schedules. At the end of the day, your furnishings (and their wellness) are a reflection of your school… So let’s make it a good one!
Ready to meet? We offer livestream demonstrations from our showroom or in-person presentations at your convenience. Give us a call at (205) 621-2502 or contact us online today.