Students rank sleep over sex and alcohol

Information gathered by Staff Writer Anna Brown. Graph created by Graphic Designer Jordan Ferrell

by Staff Writer Anna Brown

College students have to choose wisely how they spend their spare time outside of class.

A recent study conducted by Student Monitor found U.S. students prefer their smartphones over sex and alcohol.

A 100 percent nonscientific survey conducted among UNA students found sleep is their top priority.

Students were asked to rate smartphones, alcohol, sex and relationships, sleep, and Netflix on a one to five scale with one being the least important and five being the most important.

The results gathered from 50 students found the majority, 64 percent, said sleep was the most important.

Junior Katy Zurmuehlen ranked sleep as most important to her.

“You can’t live without sleep,” she said. “I can’t do any of the other things if I’m not alive.”

Only five percent of students polled said sleep was the least important.

Sophomore John Veal was among those five percent who gave sleep the lowest score.

“I like sleep and then again, I don’t like sleep,” he said. “I just feel like sleep is sometimes a waste of my time.”

Sex and relationships came in second place with 16 percent of students giving it first place.

Thirty-four percent of students polled marked it the second most important on the survey.

“Me and my girlfriend have been together for over four years now,” said senior Clint Frederick. “Our relationship has to be priority.”

Smartphones came in third place with 12 percent of students giving it first place.

Forty-seven percent of students polled said smartphones were the third most important item on the survey.

Junior Kahri Bolden said his smartphone was the most important thing on the list.

“That’s how I get in contact with everyone, check my email, talk to my family and check my social media,” he said. “When you first wake up, what do you do? You check your phone.”

Netflix landed behind smartphones, but still ahead of alcohol.

Six percent of students said Netflix was the most important to them.

Sophomore Shaq Shoulders said Netflix was one of his top priorities as a student.

“I love watching movies and TV shows,” he said. “It really helps me relax.”

Only 2 percent of the students polled said alcohol was most important to them and 69 percent said alcohol was the least important of those five items.

Sex and relationships was the clear winner in the battle between sex, alcohol and smartphones at UNA, but smartphones were still preferred over alcohol.

“I don’t drink but, I can call my friends up for alcohol with my smartphone,” Bolden said. “How else could I get in touch with them?”