Embracing change: Understanding the next generation of college students

Higher education has always been shaped by change, but the pace of that change continues to accelerate. New technologies, evolving teaching and learning methods, and shifting student expectations continually redefine what it means to deliver a meaningful college experience. The key to thriving in the face of change is to resist the urge to fight against it and instead choose to embrace the next chapter, approaching it with curiosity and an openness to new possibilities.  

This is a key theme of the latest chapter of President to President. In “Taking Control of Our Fearless Future with AI,” University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines, Ph.D., explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education. Rather than viewing it as a cause for concern, though, he recognizes AI as another evolution in teaching and learning. Dr. Pines draws parallels between the widespread implementation of AI and other technological developments that permanently altered higher education, such as when HP-35 calculators made the slide rule obsolete. He acknowledges that AI has the potential to change the world much more dramatically than earlier technologies, but he maintains that there is an opportunity to thoughtfully apply AI to enhance human achievement by responsibly integrating it into research, learning, and real-world problem solving. 

The challenges of keeping up with youth culture  

College campuses may be the perfect place for such developments, because young people are often the most willing to embrace something new, even as it replaces something that once seemed indispensable. As a mother of two teenaged daughters, I know how quickly things can seem outdated to young people. Their frame of reference is also much narrower than members of older generations may realize. I imagine that if I started explaining to my daughters how pagers worked or the idea of embarking on a long-distance road trip with only a paper atlas as a guide, they might look at me like I just started speaking a foreign language. Most of today’s high school and college students have never seen a functioning payphone. They’ve probably never stepped into a video rental store or twirled the cord of a landline phone around their fingers while chatting with friends. 

Just as young people may not understand references to outdated technology, it can be a struggle for parents and educators to understand the language and perspectives of young people. Compounding the issue is how quickly young people’s interests and sentiments can change. The moment you start to feel like you’re making sense of the lingo, finally understanding the cultural references, and have maybe even learned one of the TikTok dances, things are already changing. The jokes, music, phrases, fashions, and other trends that dominated kids’ lives are quickly forgotten—or worse, relegated to being labeled “cringe”—as something new takes their place.  

Youth culture is constantly evolving, and even for parents, who are exposed to it frequently in their daily lives, it can be hard to keep up. For college campuses, this constant evolution makes it difficult to stay aligned with students’ needs, expectations, and preferences. Campuses can never assume that senior leaders are on the same page as the 18-year-old students arriving on campus each fall. 

For this year’s report, we surveyed hundreds of college and high school students, as well as parents of current college students and college-bound high school students. The findings deeply resonated with me as a parent with one daughter who started college as a freshman this fall and one daughter in her senior year of high school. I’ve spent a lot of time touring college campuses recently as my children weigh their options. I’ve seen how certain factors influence their decisions, and I’ve talked with them extensively about navigating this stage of life and making choices that will positively impact their futures. As a mother, it’s fascinating to see my daughters’ experiences reflected in the broader data of the Student Lifestyle Survey and to find commonality with other parents. As a professional working in higher education, it’s empowering to know that Sodexo is uncovering meaningful insights that will help campuses understand what motivates young people today and helps them succeed. 

Unsurprisingly, this year’s report reveals that things are changing fast, in areas as varied as what students worry about most to what times of day they like to eat. Students are increasingly concerned about the ability to secure employment after graduation and achieve long-term career success. Students and parents are more worried about financial issues and affordability than in previous years, and they want to feel confident that a college degree will provide a solid return on their investment. There are also indications that colleges may need to rethink the day-to-day campus experience. For example, survey results show that traditional mealtimes may not provide enough flexibility for the college students arriving in the next few years because 60% percent of high school students eat in mid-afternoon, compared to 34% at lunch and 27% at breakfast or dinner. Students are also placing greater value on accommodation options that fit their preferences, whether that means living near campus, at home, or in a dorm room.

It has been said that the only constant in life is change, and perhaps nothing underscores that idea more than watching your children make the transition into adulthood. It’s a reminder that each generation comes of age in a world that looks a little different from the one before it, with its own challenges, priorities, and opportunities. As parents, sometimes we have to let go of our assumptions and make room for new ways of thinking. The same is true for colleges and universities. By truly listening to students, understanding what matters to them, and remaining open to new ideas, campuses can better engage students and provide the resources and support that will help them succeed. 

For more insights into the perspectives of today’s students and parents, get your advanced copy of the Sodexo Student Lifestyle Survey Report, coming in January 2027!