Survey: U of R Class of 2017 Is Techie, Service-Oriented and Wants to Study Abroad

The Class of 2017 will rely heavily on technology in many ways, but not all, while attending the University of Redlands. A survey of the freshman class reveals there isn’t one student without a cell phone or smartphone and more than 97 percent of students brought a computer to their residence hall. About 56 percent of students will use their computers not just for studying and homework, but also for watching TV. More than 72 percent will stream TV shows and movies through services such as Netflix to one of their electronic devices. Conversely, an actual TV was not listed as a must-have by even one student. Social media continues to be important in the lives of freshmen. About 49 percent said they spend between one to two hours daily on social media and 53 percent named it as their primary source for news. More than 87 percent of incoming freshmen said they most frequently use Facebook. Instagram is second most popular, used by 63 percent of students, followed by YouTube used by 51 percent. Only 10 percent are active on Pinterest, less than 8 percent are using Google+ and no students are checking in on Foursquare. When it comes to taking notes in class or getting around town, the majority of the freshmen class plan to go “old school” much like the incoming freshmen of 2012. More than 76 percent of students will use pen and paper to take notes and 75 percent brought only their feet as a mode of transportation. About 55 percent of students plan to learn through word of mouth about the places their feet will take them. About 69 percent of students enjoy listening to music on a digital music player, but only 9 percent said they brought a gaming console to campus. Some students were quite practical, with more than 55 percent bringing a refrigerator and 53 percent bringing a fan. The freshmen class will be required to earn credit for community service to graduate. They are most interested in helping animals (54 percent), mentoring (53 percent) and education (52 percent). Environmental issues, local issues and at-risk youth are also strong areas of interest for service, and have been consistently for the past three years. More than 85 percent of students plan to study abroad—hoping to travel to locations including Salzburg, Japan, Italy, China, Greece and Spain—revealing a growing interest in study abroad, up 5 percent from last year. In going away to school, 23 percent of the freshmen class fear leaving behind friends and family. Twenty percent are fearful about selecting the right major or academic path. About 20 percent of students have fears over struggling to balance school and a social life and another 20 percent are concerned about making friends. Almost 16 percent of students are anxious about earning good grades. Other Fun Facts: • 54 percent of students expect college life to be much like that depicted in the movie “Pitch Perfect.” • Students said they couldn’t live without certain apps, including Twitter, Instagram, Pandora, YouTube and messaging. • 65 percent of students plan to control gain of the “Freshmen 15” (common weight gain during a student’s first year of college) with a well-balanced diet and exercise. • Almost 53 percent of students don’t know if they’ll remain in Southern California after graduation. • About 65 percent of students aren’t planning to study what they wanted to as a child. • Almost 88 percent of students have done their own laundry. • Almost 75 percent of students predicted someone in their family would cry when they said good-bye, and most predicted it would be their moms.