College Dorms and Indoor Air Quality
It’s almost August and I see all of the thousands of ads about college and getting your students ready for dorm life. My thoughts go to a very small space shared by at least one other person (sometimes 3 or more). Seems like an indoor air quality nightmare. The institution your student has chosen is responsible to maintain the cooling and circulation systems in the actual residence halls. And, if they feel like that is not being done they should definitely bring attention to it. But, there are some things that they can do in their own personal spaces to improve the quality of the air they are breathing and stay healthier. There are some studies that even suggest clean air improves study ability and retention. Every little bit helps!
So, definitely invest in a good fan. Circulating the air in the room and helping to keep excess humidity at bay is essential. A cool comfortable study and sleeping environment will do wonders.
Perhaps, an investment in a good quality air purifier would be of some benefit as well. Particularly this would be of benefit if your student suffers from asthma or severe allergies. With all the different folks who will inevitably be in and out of dorm rooms, a purifier would most likely be a great help in keeping many germs/pollutants at bay.
If a purifier seems a little extreme, perhaps employing a few “air cleaning” plants in the space would be beneficial. I realize some students would kill them immediately but there have to be some out there who could keep a low-maintenance plant alive without too much trouble. The Spider Plant, Dragon Tree and Mother-In-Law’s Tongue are three that are easy to keep alive and great at helping purify the air.
I’m well aware that there are hundreds of things to think about when getting your student ready for college life. Just hope this little reminder about indoor air quality was helpful.
Sources: https://www.saycampuslife.com/2016/03/29/maintaining-optimal-air-quality-in-a-dorm-room https://www.hgtv.com/remodel/interior-remodel/10-best-plants-for-cleaning-indoor-air-pictures