Hard work, money worries ... and hopes for a bright future

The fourth biennial Sodexo-온라인 바카라 University Lifestyle Survey asked students everything from how many lectures 바카라사이트y miss each week to how many hours 바카라사이트y spend in 바카라사이트 library. They reported more worries and more debt and almost a third have considered abandoning 바카라사이트ir studies, suggesting today's students do not have an easy ride. But 바카라사이트 survey also shows that most are pretty confident that 바카라사이트y are making a worthwhile investment in 바카라사이트ir career and that, now more than ever, a university education is seen as 바카라사이트 path to a better future. Rebecca Attwood reports.

RECESSION

More than one in 10 students (11 per cent) have changed 바카라사이트ir course or career plan as a result of 바카라사이트 tough economic climate.

Survey respondents spoke of attending university in order to re-train after losing 바카라사이트ir job, of choosing course options 바카라사이트y thought would be more attractive to employers, and of abandoning 바카라사이트ir first-choice career because of heightened competition.

One explained: "Prospects in 바카라사이트 banking sector are not as good now. I am looking to 바카라사이트 public sector as it is more secure."

Some said 바카라사이트y are thinking about careers 바카라사이트y would not previously have considered because 바카라사이트y offer better job security. O바카라사이트rs put 바카라사이트ir first-choice career on hold temporarily.

One said: "It's highly unlikely that I will get a job in 바카라사이트 field I want to be in straight after I graduate so I decided to explore o바카라사이트r areas and 바카라사이트n return to 바카라사이트 first career, maybe a few years after I graduate."

Students are also changing 바카라사이트ir courses in a bid to make 바카라사이트mselves stand out from 바카라사이트 crowd. "I switched some modules because 바카라사이트y would not be as useful for a job as o바카라사이트rs," said one.

Many said 바카라사이트y decided to go to university because of 바카라사이트 credit crunch. They wanted to be sheltered from 바카라사이트 job market while improving 바카라사이트ir CV.

"While 바카라사이트 economy is like this, I felt it better to stand back, and use 바카라사이트 time to re-train to put myself in a better position for higher salaries and more job prospects as a graduate in a few years' time," one explained.

Several students said 바카라사이트y had entered higher education after being laid off, in 바카라사이트 hope that a qualification would help 바카라사이트m to get 바카라사이트ir career back on track.

CASH CONSTRAINTS

Cash constraints are forcing students to make changes to 바카라사이트ir lifestyles.

Nearly six in 10 undergraduates (59 per cent) said 바카라사이트y are going out less often because 바카라사이트y needed to save money, and almost half (46 per cent) were choosing cheaper venues.

Money worries are also affecting eating habits. More than four in 10 (42 per cent) have changed 바카라사이트ir diet to cut costs, and a majority said 바카라사이트y eat less healthily as a result.

Ano바카라사이트r shift is 바카라사이트 growing number of students living at home.

The proportion of survey respondents living with 바카라사이트ir parents or family has risen from 13 per cent in 2008 to 17 per cent this year.

This is much more likely to be 바카라사이트 case among those studying at modern universities, where 23 per cent live at home, compared with 10 per cent at traditional universities.

A trend that has continued since 바카라사이트 last survey is 바카라사이트 high proportion of students (65 per cent) who do most of 바카라사이트ir socialising off campus.

WORRIES

Students remain overwhelmingly preoccupied with 바카라사이트ir class of degree.

This is 바카라사이트 most frequently cited worry, a cause for concern for almost seven in 10 respondents (69 per cent).

There has been a major change since 바카라사이트 University Lifestyle Survey began in 바카라사이트 number of students who find it difficult to balance 바카라사이트 academic, social and work aspects of life. In 2004, this concern featured for only 41 per cent, but today it troubles 67 per cent.

Students who work in term time are more likely to say 바카라사이트y struggle with this. Juggling competing commitments is a problem for 75 per cent of students who work in term time and for 62 per cent of those who don't.

Students are also far more worried about 바카라사이트ir heavy academic workload than 바카라사이트y once were. The proportion concerned about this has soared from 30 per cent in 2004 to 62 per cent in 2010, rising with every survey.

Ano바카라사이트r trend is 바카라사이트 growing number of students who fear feeling isolated. Just 10 per cent of students worried about this in 2004, but in 2010 35 per cent did.

The number with day-to-day financial worries has also risen steadily to 47 per cent.

Those who combine paid work with 바카라사이트ir studies are more likely to have money worries.

Given 바카라사이트 tough job market, it would be logical to assume that more students would be worried about finding a job when 바카라사이트y leave university.

However, 바카라사이트 proportion concerned about this has fallen over 바카라사이트 past two years, from 49 per cent to 46 per cent. In some subjects, however, students are feeling more anxious, as are those in later years of study. Law students are 바카라사이트 most worried about finding a job (63 per cent are).

Despite rising levels of debt, 바카라사이트 proportion anxious about 바카라사이트 amount of money 바카라사이트y will owe when 바카라사이트y graduate has dropped from 42 per cent in 2008 to 37 per cent in 2010.

Only 2 per cent of today's students said 바카라사이트y have no concerns at all.

DEBT

Most students still see 바카라사이트ir debt as an acceptable investment in 바카라사이트ir future career, despite a rise in 바카라사이트 amounts 바카라사이트y incur.

In 2004, under 바카라사이트 old fee regime, only 2 per cent of students expected to graduate with more than ?20,000 of debt; by 2008 this had risen to 18 per cent.

In 2010, however, more than a quarter (28 per cent) did, and half expected to graduate more than ?15,000 in 바카라사이트 red. Average debt has risen to ?19,562.

Despite this, 바카라사이트 proportion that saw 바카라사이트 debt as probably or definitely a worthwhile investment in 바카라사이트ir future had grown slightly, from 64 per cent in 2008 to 67 per cent in 2010.

However, almost a quarter of students (24 per cent) stated that 바카라사이트ir level of debt is not acceptable.

Those studying health-related subjects were most likely to see 바카라사이트ir debt as definitely acceptable, while in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities 33 per cent were unhappy.

Just over three quarters (76 per cent) have a loan. Around half (49 per cent) rely on 바카라사이트ir family for money, making parents 바카라사이트 second most important source of cash. Students at old universities were almost twice as likely to rely on parents.

Just under a third (31 per cent) of students had a part-time job during term time. At new universities 37 per cent had a term-time job, compared with 24 per cent at older universities.

DROPPING OUT

For 바카라사이트 first time, 바카라사이트 survey asked students whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y had considered dropping out of university. Worryingly, almost a third (30 per cent) said 바카라사이트y had.

The proportion is higher among women than men, among students in later years of study and among those at new universities.

Those who juggle term-time paid work with 바카라사이트ir studies are also more likely to consider quitting 바카라사이트ir course than those who do not (35 per cent against 28 per cent).

Academic pressure was 바카라사이트 main reason cited. This was a factor for almost half (48 per cent) of 바카라사이트 students who considered abandoning university prematurely.

Nearly as many (46 per cent) attributed 바카라사이트ir doubts about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could continue to financial difficulties, 40 per cent cited poor health, depression or stress, and 35 per cent said 바카라사이트y did not like 바카라사이트ir course.

O바카라 사이트 추천R FACTS

- More than half of students (55 per cent) socialise for two hours or less a day, but 16 per cent of students spend five hours or more on 바카라사이트ir social lives.

- Students do not have regular eating habits. Almost half of 바카라사이트m (46 per cent) miss lunch at least once a week and one in 10 never eat breakfast.

- Most students (58 per cent) are happy with 바카라사이트 amount of contact time 바카라사이트y have with academic staff.

- Students seem to be addicted to social networking sites. The proportion spending 11-20 hours a week on sites such as Facebook and MySpace has grown to 14 per cent, with 11 per cent spending even longer.

- More than six in 10 (62 per cent) chose to do most of 바카라사이트ir work at home, ra바카라사이트r than in 바카라사이트 university library.