The cost of housing and the deterioration of the Chesapeake Bay concern students more than any other issue, according to an October survey by an AACC political science professor.

The spread of the coronavirus by unvaccinated individuals is the third-top concern among the 97 students who chose among 20 issues in the poll by Dr. Dan Nataf.

Nataf said young people are concerned about “environmental degradation at all levels, unless something is done about it.”

He added, “The cost of housing is going to be something that young people, again, generationally, they’re going to feel a lot more than older people.”

In the poll, 63.9% of students said they consider the cost of housing “very serious” and 63.2% said the same about the deterioration of the bay.

Nataf conducts a twice-a-year survey of Anne Arundel County residents about their top concerns. This time, he included a second survey of 97 AACC students.

The most-pressing issue affecting Anne Arundel County residents is the quality of public education, which Nataf called “always a top concern.” Second is “having unvaccinated people prolong the pandemic and overload health facilities,” according to the survey.

Some students agreed that unvaccinated people are a concern.

“Vaccinated people can get and spread Covid, too,” Nataf quoted a student saying. “Have the same regulations and testing for vaccinated as unvaccinated.”

Other students said they have gotten used to the Covid restrictions. Nataf summarized comments of students who took the poll.

“I’ve grown accustomed to keeping myself occupied without having other people around,” Nataf summarized. “Found new ways to connect to people online.”

Some students revealed they are less anxious now than they were at the beginning of the pandemic.

“It doesn’t affect me as much anxiety wise,” Nataf wrote in the summary, paraphrasing a student. “I just take it day by day. I take the precautions and make sure I wear a mask to keep myself and others safe.”