Email, once the pinnacle of digital communication, is now often overlooked by today’s college students. A generational shift away from email is driven by several factors that highlight the changing nature of how young adults prefer to stay connected. Although each student is different, here are the top reasons why today’s students loathe email–
Email volume. College students are bombarded with emails daily—from academic departments, student organizations, school administration, and outside sources. This constant influx can quickly lead to email fatigue, causing students to tune out the noise created by email, often missing important messages relating to their education.
Too slow! College students have grown up with faster, more interactive communication platforms making email communication seem as irrelevant as the Pony Express. Social platforms used by students have trained them to prioritize only the content they can consume quickly.
Unfamiliar experience. In an era where sleek, user-friendly interfaces are the norm, the traditional email format feels cumbersome and antiquated. Students prefer the streamlined, visually appealing designs of modern communication tools that make communicating from a mobile device simple and well, instant.
Importance. Relevance is another issue. Many emails sent to students are often irrelevant or non-urgent, leading to a habit of ignoring their inboxes. Important messages from professors or administrative departments can easily get lost among less pertinent communications, causing students to miss out on critical information.
Limited time. Lastly, the busy schedules of college students play a crucial role. Balancing classes, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and social lives leaves little room for meticulously managing an overflowing inbox. Consequently, emails often go unread or are skimmed at best, with students prioritizing communication methods that better fit their hectic lifestyles.
The preference for faster, more relevant, and engaging communication tools, combined with the overwhelming nature of email inboxes, has led college students to sideline email and search for something better. Insert Pronto– the LMS integrated messaging tool that students and instructors love. Pronto is built for educators but uses design features that students love, making poor adoption a thing of the past.
Email is dead. Long live Pronto!
