It’s been years of tighter belts for the younger generations. With finances squeezes and the introduction of even higher tuition fees, students are less carefree than their parents. Thanks, perhaps, to the media, they know how difficult life is and can get. They are aware of the damage of poor life choices now.
In a recent study, it was revealed that millennials – and in particular students – are spending less money on going out. It’s not so much that there is a shortage of cash (although for the modern student that’s as true as it ever was). It’s also that now, staying in is the new going out as a lifestyle choice.
Are you Increasingly Preferring to Stay In (For Reasons Other Than Financial?)
If this sounds like you, it certainly isn’t only you. It seems that the 18-30 age group is preferring to stay in without money problems being the contributing or single factor. 82% of them, in fact, have regularly withdrawn from a night out in favour of staying in and getting an early night. The most common reasons for pulling out include:
- 27% were simply not wanting to socialise on that particular evening
- 24% wanted to catch up on some sleep and were intending to get an earlier night than usual
- 19% were influenced by a TV show or film – perhaps demonstrating the power of Netflix and Amazon Prime
- 15% were “too comfortable”, and too relaxed or settled into the evening to want to go out
- While 9% was unawed at the prospect of a hangover the following morning
Changing Student Attitudes
It shows a genuine demographic shift in attitude from millennials, particularly the student lifestyle whose reputation has been notoriously hard to shake. Or perhaps they are far more aware of their health needs than previous generations. Bedtime routines were particularly revealing. It was found the “typical” millennial goes to bed just after 10 pm, the average is 10:15. The typical bedtime of a 30-45-year-old is around 11 pm.
Are millennials more responsible for and aware of their physical and mental health than their parents? That’s certainly possible although there could be another explanation. What is telling is that they are more likely to eat in bed than older generations. This may point to the viewing habits of modern streaming services. No longer limited to “normal” TV and its poor choices, or buying films, cheap streaming services could be the key. Over half said they went to bed early and ate in bed frequently. It seems that a night out on the town is giving way to streaming services with a bedtime snack as a way to relax late at night.