Exotic Study Spaces

One-way college students have decided to leverage this online learning experience is by relocating to vacation areas. This trend of “collab housing” is based on the idea is that they and a few friends attend online classes while social distancing in exotic locations. Some have gone to Hawaii, others to Utah or Montana for hiking and skiing, while others have moved to coastal beach towns.  The students, and likely their parents, did not want to spend another four or five months living at home so collab housing allows students to get some of that college freedom they wouldn’t have living at home.

Initially gaining popularity by TikTok internet stars documenting how they are renting great places and all cohabitating, many people in high rent cities with small apartments followed suit to be able to spread out while working remotely.

Now students are working to convince parents with Power Point and spreadsheet presentations, showing that this will not cost more than living in a dorm or college apartment. This is particularly true for residents of New York City, San Francisco, LA, Boston or other high cost of living cities. Students explain to parents will be safer because they are in rural areas in their own bubble.

Of course, as anyone who has lived in a college town knows, there will be increased demand for police, fire, and health services as college students do what college students do. I feel for the neighbors who will have to put up with the late-night parties and the resulting trash. In Europe and elsewhere, independent living arrangements like the ones featured above are the norm for college students rather than the exception. Students typically share an apartment with several other students just off campus after the freshmen year.

In order for collab housing to work, the students draw up agreements in advance as to what will happen if one or more of them test positive for COVID-19. They work out which areas will be quiet study rooms, when meals will be served, and who is responsible for buying the food, cooking, and cleaning.  These are all skills that any student who attended overnight camp or lived in a fraternity learned. These are life skills that may benefit them more than any classes they are taking this fall. Most leases only extend to the end of the year because who knows what college campuses will look like this spring.

The net result is that finding an Airbnb or renting an RV is getting harder and more expensive for long term rentals in some desirable locations. For students, these likely to be temporary living locations, while for workers who are no longer tied to an office, they may permanently relocate. The good news is that they are pumping money into a local economy and likely helping to keep an Airbnb owner afloat.  

Some parents have flipped the script and told their college kids to live in stay home and the parents will be the ones to relocate to anew desirable location.  It’s not all bad though, I know two 20 somethings living in NYC with a view of Central Park while the parents have relocated. As the pandemic stretches on more and more people will continue to come up creative ways to cope and learn—and maybe learn in an exotic locale.