Report: Students
How important is the healthiness of the food brands you buy?
Length: 02.39
Price is far more important than health for the vast majority of students questioned. Health is not a huge concern for those on a budget and they admit to indulging in fast food due to convenience. When funds allow students prefer to buy organic than low fat or low calorie produce.
What do you do to try and stay healthy?
Length: 01.48
Students prefer to take regular exercise than watch what they eat when it comes to being healthy. Respondents hit the gym and try to walk as much as possible in a bid to stay trim. Reducing alcohol consumption is not considered a priority and was only mentioned by one respondent.
Why are you on your current mobile phone tariff?
Length: 02.24
Tariff are generally chosen on the basis of the amount of free minutes and texts they provide. Students are swayed slightly by promotions, including Stop The Clock and the phones that accompany the deal, however what they really want is value for money.
What could they do to improve their service to students?
Length: 02.37
The majority wanted discounts and lower rates for students, while some would prefer freebies similar to those given away when opening student bank accounts (including YoungPersons Railcards and digital cameras). Interestingly a small percentage asked for better customer service and signal strength.
Where do you like to go on holiday? How often do you go?
Length: 02.07
The most popular destination was Rome and the poll showed a preference for short city breaks within Europe.
What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Length: 01.54
Leisure pursuits ranged from staying at home listening to music and hanging out with friends to more energetic pastimes such as visiting the gym and attending music festivals and gigs.
What high street shops do you visit most – why do they appeal to you?
Length: 02.44
Students visit stores that fulfil two main criteria – they have to be cheap and be cool. Therefore top of the shops for the student respondents are Primark, H & M, River Island and interestingly HMV.
What do you do personally to be more environmentally friendly?
Length: 02.22
Students are most likely to recycle to help save the planet and admit that what they does is heavily influenced by their parents behaviour. Other activities tend to have an ulterior of saving respondents money, which include turning down the heating, switching off lights and walking instead of getting the bus.
What are your favourite shops for clothing? Why?
Length: 02.00
For fashionable threads students like to visit H& M Top Shop, River Island and Primark. When they need good quality, long lasting basics they are more likely to go to Gap, Next and Marks & Spencers. And if its one off, more individual clobber they head to vintage clothing shops.
What services does your bank offer students?
Length: 01.53
The study revealed quite low awareness of the additional services offered to students by banks and though a high percentage mentioned free overdraft facilities the only other benefit mentioned was free gifts when opening accounts.
What could they do to improve their service to help you?
Length: 02.15
Students want banks to be more flexible and understanding of their situation. They definitely don’t just want more freebies, but instead want more practical and personal advice to help them pre and post university to help them manage their finances more easily.
What do you do online? Could you tell me about your favourite websites?
Length: 02.28
The most common use of the internet is communication, respondents use sites like yahoo and Facebook to stay in touch with their friends. Online shopping was not very popular with the demographic and students tend to spend their time reading the news, keeping up to date with the latest sport developments and downloading music
Do you use Facebook or mySpace? Which do you prefer and why?
Length: 02.01
Facebook is by far the most popular website and the reasons for this vary from its ease of use, the fact that more people tend to use it and its added applications that allow photos and videos to be easily shared.
MySpace is declining in popularity as respondents find it difficult to use, outdated and less secure than Facebook.
What are your hopes for the future?
Length: 01.01
Respondents overwhelmingly referred to personal goals as opposed to collective hopes for society. Answers ranged from attaining job satisfaction and paying off debts to going travelling. Only one respondent wanted reduced levels of poverty in the UK.
What are your fears?
Length: 01.36
The biggest fear for this demographic is unemployment. Respondents are scared they won’t be able to find work or will be stuck in an unfulfilling role they hate. Other fears include violent crime and the threat of global warming.
How will you start looking for jobs when you finish uni?
Length: 01.59
It seems students are more likely to hunt for jobs by asking friends and contacts for recommendations rather than applying for advertised position. Although respondents did reveal they will be using the internet and agencies to try and track down employment, a bigger majority will be relying on friends in high places and contacts they have made while on placement years and work experience.
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Who do you admire the most? The biggest heroes for both young girls and boys are football stars including Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry, followed closely by family members and characters from soaps and TV shows. How do you save and get your money? Kids as young as six are helping out with chores including washing up and hoovering to earn extra money. Regular pocket money seems to be dependent on helping with housework and money from birthdays and Christmas is saved up to buy big items. What do you generally spend your money on? Money is mostly being saved for computer games or games consoles for children under 10 with older children preferring to spend their money on CDs and clothes. |
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