Students bring more than £2,000 of stuff to university

Today's technology-savvy students are taking more than £2,000 worth of possessions to university with them, according to a survey.

It reveals that youngsters are heading off to campus with the latest gadgets, including tablets, smartphones, laptops and netbooks, and snubbing traditional university essentials such as a TV or stereo.

The poll, which questioned more than 1,700 students, suggests that young people are investing in digital files, such as online journals and textbooks.

Overall, the average value of a student's possessions now stands at £2,266.91.

This includes £1,328.96 for physical possessions, £715.07 for music, £98 for online journals and £124.88 for digital textbooks.

The Endsleigh 2013 Student Survey, conducted by the National Union of Students (NUS), found that the vast majority of youngsters at university (96 per cent) own a laptop or netbook, and nine in 10 own a smartphone, while just a fifth (20 per cent) own a TV and 17 per cent have a stereo.

The poll also shows that 21st century students spend as much time on their mobile phone as they do socialising with others face to face. In total 58 per cent of students spend between one and four hours a day on each of these activities.

Sara Newell, manager of Student Markets at Endsleigh, says: "Our research shows that, as technology improves and gadgets become more and more multi-functional, students are relying on just a few portable devices both for work and play.

"From listening to music, watching films and taking photos, to using these gadgets for reading text books digitally, or making lecture notes, these high-tech devices have become an everyday part of student life."

PA