IKEA Surveys Students Nationwide to Uncover How Our Children’s College Experience is Affected By What They Decide to Bring

Furniture World Magazine

A new survey by IKEA, the leading home furnishings retailer, reveals that you may be able to find out what your child is feeling and doing while they are away at college by simply looking at what they decided to bring. The survey found that students without sofas in their rooms were 75% more likely to say that they call home everyday compared to students with sofas in the rooms. Also, students with white blankets were more than twice as likely to have gained weight their freshman year compared to students with green blankets and students who said they couldn’t leave home without their stuffed animals were the most likely to report making Dean’s List at least once in college. The survey, which randomly queried 600 college students in order to get a better understanding of what is really going on in dorm rooms across America, found that there is a strong correlation between a college student’s surrounding environment and the decisions they make. The survey also found that males with Internet access at college were 92% more likely to report drinking alcohol often compared to males without Internet access. Also, law was the third most popular major among students with green blankets however, it only ranked 13th on the list for students with white or blue blankets. "As a furniture retailer, we understand that how you think and act is often reflective of your surroundings, so what better way to uncover the truth about today’s college experience than to ask students what they have in their dorm rooms," said Janice Simonsen, IKEA Spokesperson. "This holds especially true for students who are living on their own for the first time in smaller spaces than they may be used to at home." Other interesting survey highlights: Females without desks in their rooms were 70% more likely to say they drink alcohol often compared to females with desks in their rooms and students who brought a "security blanket" with them to college were three times as likely to cry every week while at college compared to students who did not bring a "security blanket." Also, students who said they couldn’t leave home without photos of family/friends were the least likely to join a fraternity or sorority. Since its founding in 1943, IKEA has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at prices so low that the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA is recognized as a socially responsible company, and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. Currently, IKEA has 163 stores in 30 countries, including 15 stores in the United States and seven stores in Canada. To visit the IKEA web site, please go to http://www.ikea-usa.com.