Asked how they expect this summer to compare with last year, nearly 40% of US college students surveyed characterized summer 2013 as "real-world: more work and less fun," according to a recent report by fluent.
Just 30% view the summer months as offering more adventure, through either work or travel, while another 10% are anticipating a disappointing or humdrum summer. Only 20% are ready for a summer that is more fun and less work.
Below, additional key findings from the survey of more than 1,600 College Millennial Consumers (CMCs).
Focused on Real-World Goals
CMCs top priority this summer was "gather job-related experience at an internship" (31.7%), followed by "earn money towards college education and necessary expenses" (22.2%).
Most CMCs are sticking close to home or school, with 41% living with mom and dad and 37% staying on or near campus.
Summer Employment
- 96% of respondents plan to make some money from their summer jobs; 32.3% aim to earn $1,000-$2,500 from summer work; nearly 30% plan to earn over $4,000.
- The most popular job this year? "Paid internship or apprenticeship" (48.9%). Also popular: sales, including retail/apparel (32.5%), and office administration or temping (29.1%).
- Millennial college students will spend their summer cash on essentials. Clothes for work (49.1%) and for play (43.6%) topped the list, followed by transportation costs (40.2%). Electronics fell well below these top expenses at 28.5%. Food, gas, rent, tuition bills, and school expenses topped the write-in responses.
Dating Trends
- 42.8% of respondents said they were dating someone exclusively now and expect to keep dating that person through the summer.
- 21.4% would like to "meet someone special to date this summer," while 8% "don’t have time or interest to date anyone."
- Write-in responses confirm CMCs use many creative ways to meet new people if they are looking around. Their preferred tools include websites and apps like Tinder, Grouper (an app facilitating groups of people to meet up at random locations for socializing), Whisper, ChatRoulette, Lulu (to check a potential date's past), Zoosk, and OKCupid's Strangers Love Lab.
For more results from the survey, check out the following infographic:
About the research: The report was based on a survey of more than 1,600 US college students conducted between May 13-20, 2013.
