Dubbed the “COVID Generation,” today’s college students have entered a world shadowed by a global pandemic. Their formative years were marked by school closures, social distancing, and a heavy reliance on screens for both school and developing personal relationships.  

Their focus now: getting connected. 

After a period of isolation and digital overload, this generation craves in-person connection, and they’re actively seeking ways to build community on campus. While also prioritizing wellness and setting themselves up for the future.

Mental health, physical well-being, and career planning are top priorities for this cohort, shaped in part by the challenges of the pandemic and the uncertainty that accompanied it.

How do we know this?

In February 2025, we conducted a national survey asking college students about their hopes, challenges, motivations, and goals. 

The research is based on responses from 1,803 students who participated in the survey, representing 67 colleges and universities across 29 states in the continental United States. 

→VIEW FULL REPORT

How does this affect college newsrooms?

Students have a strong interest in getting in-person interactions. In fact, 54% of student respondents agreed that finding community is one of the most essential parts of their college experience, ranking it even above academic goals. 

There are several ways to capitalize on the surge in interest for social interaction:

Go to where the people are — show up

When planning story selections, look for where your peers will be.

• Sporting events: Don’t just go for the game, look out for the dedicated fans in the crowd, who you can score an interview with.
• Campus protests: College campuses have always been at the epicenter of social and political discourse, of which there is never a shortage.
• Join another organization: Being an active community member will open the door to finding fresh leads. You’ll hear from a friend who’s heard about something from someone, and so on. 

Let students come to you

Being a part of your campus community also means facilitating it. Student media organizations are in a unique position because not only are you reporting on student life, but you are students yourselves. Create a space where your peers can find common ground with you.

Events you can host:

• Issue launch: Promote your latest issue while building brand awareness and getting it directly into the hands of students. 
• Coffee with the editor(s): Partner with your local coffee shop to get students to learn more about your organization, and get feedback on what they’re interested in reading. 
• Vendor festival: This will require a bit more effort, but if you have advertising clients who want to reach students by tabling, distributing freebies, and more, consider hosting your own festival event. 

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→ 82% of students find community on campus, not online.

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Don’t solely rely on social media for brand awareness 

According to survey responses, 82% of students reported finding community on campus rather than through social media. 

It’s easy to rely on the algorithm to direct your content to the right viewers and hope for the best, but as we’ve discussed, it’s even more crucial to engage directly with your audience.

At Flytedesk, we’ve learned that taking a surround-sound approach when seeking students’ attention is effective. That means getting in front of the audience wherever you can. Part of that is social media, as well as in the classroom, at the dining hall, and so on. 

This is why we encourage student media organizations to develop these five core products:

• Out-of-Home (OOH)
• Street Teams
• Digital
• Print
• Email Newsletters

Learn more about core products in this explainer.

Final Thoughts

This generation of college students has an appetite for in-person community post-COVID, and student media is well-positioned to capitalize on that demand. 

Participate in and facilitate campus community by showing up, covering stories that matter to your audience, and establishing your organization as a key player in the school’s ecosystem.