Maintaining a clean environment when in college can be difficult. With all the schoolwork you must do, some students are rendered very little time to themselves, and when they do have it, they would rather spend it with their friends than cleaning. This can cause their space to get out of hand. They may find that they are running out of clean clothes, themselves and their room’s are beginning to smell, and they may begin to forget and lose important things such as work, causing them to fall behind in school. This can then also put a strain on their social life since taking care of their personal hygiene and their room’s, can negatively impact them. Making sure they shower regularly, brush their teeth and hair, put on deodorant, etc., are all important things young adults must, especially, when in college. This can then cause a strain on their roommate who may not be happy with the state of their living environment or their friend, which is why it is important to be mindful. However, without the constant nagging and reminders from parents, keeping clean can be difficult, especially for those with life challenges such as ADHD, “Asperger’s,” Autism, anxiety disorders, etc. since they may find this newfound independence is making it hard for them to maintain their cleanliness and organization.
When it comes to being clean, a survey shows that “According to recent survey data from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) and Wakefield Research, almost three in four students (72%) are less than completely prepared to do their own cleaning when first arriving to college.” (CMM, 2022). With such a high percentage, it shows that this is a more common issue in college than most would expect seeing. Young adults should be able to maintain their own space properly. However, if they lack the proper skills such as time management and other executive functioning, it can prove difficult. Yet, if they let their room get to that type of state, it can take a toll on not only their physical health such as B.O., but their mental one as well. Another source goes on to explain that “…92% of college students recognize that they are at their best physically and mentally when their room is clean…” (Collins, 2022.). Having a clean space can make students feel less overwhelmed, but without the help of their parents’ micromanagement, ensuring that they are consistently doing so can be a struggle.
When speaking to a client, they would tell me how hard it was for them to make time to clean. Instead, they’d push it off and keep saying they’d do it tomorrow without remembering they had a million other things to do, so to help with that they got a chore board. They would write all they needed to do for a week on a whiteboard and then find time to put aside for cleaning and others time for socializing and schoolwork. This then allowed them to feel as if they were able to maintain their independence when moving away from their parents without feeling too overwhelmed by the workload, preventing stress and other issues that followed.
At the College Life Skills Program, our team of Doctoral and Master level professionals utilizes a series of services and techniques to help young adults who are college bound, in college, and even after college succeeds in and after their transition into independent life. We help teach them skills such as how to manage their personal hygiene needs and how to keep their environments clean and organized, when moving away to help them learn how to manage life on their own. We also help them maintain other skills such as executive functioning skills, life skills, and the development of emotional maturity. If your young adult is struggling the transition into adulthood, the CollegeLSP has the tools to aid them in achieving such skills.
Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of college students and those high school students preparing for college. The CollegeLSP is a subsidiary program of the Support For Students Growth Center, located in Boca Raton, FL and providing services nationwide.
College students’ cleaning confidence fails to make the grade. Cleaning & Maintenance Management. (2022, August 2). Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://cmmonline.com/news/college-students-cleaning-confidence-fails-to-make-the-grade#:~:text=According%20to%20recent%20survey%20data,when%20first%20arriving%20to%20college.
Collins, L. M. (2022, September 12). How cleaning helps young adults launch. Deseret News. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from https://www.deseret.com/2022/9/11/23329232/how-cleaning-helps-young-adults-launch-college-roommates
