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A Taste of How The American Average Student Lives

Article by R.J. Dowden

Greetings to you all, Nepalese or any nationalities who might be here at this very moment.

A few months back, many of the questions from our visitors has lead us to create this content. Significant number of users requested that we carry a few articles to help them learn about foreign cultures. Many of them asked us questions such as How is life in America? What’s it like for students living over there ? In order to get some answers, we hired an American University Student to conduct a survey and reveal his findings. Here it is – the summary of his report. We hope you will enjoy reading this nice article which we find it as a Masterpiece. Hopefully it should provide you with some answers.

By RJ DowdenPlease Note: You may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit or distribute, in any manner, the the material presented below without the written permission from the author. All rights reserved by the Author. Published here with permission for educational purpose.

INTRODUCTION

The following information has been collected via surveys that were given to 20 university students along the East Coast of the United States. The questions from the survey inquired about students day-to-day life, their relationships, and their beliefs. The responses have been picked apart and organized for easy comprehension. While American culture cannot be captured from the answers of just twenty people or without greater attention to diversity of people surveyed, this report is designed to give a taste of how the average student lives. 40% of the students surveyed were women. The age range for people surveyed went from 18 to 26. Of the 20 students, 13 identified themselves as Caucasian.

LIFESTYLE

Daily Activities

When asked to list their daily activities, every student included attending class and doing homework. 12 out of 20 students said that they did some sort of daily exercise. The most prominent answers were either going to the gym or going swimming. Some of the male students included video-games in their daily activities, while a greater number of people addressed their interest in the arts. Art, painting, drawing, photography, and writing were among the activities that people did on a daily basis. While students are usually tied up between work and school, it s not difficult to sneak in moments of fun here and there. Weekend activities are a little more complex. On top of work, homework, and exercise, a student may go shopping, go to a party, hang out with friends, play poker, watch movies, spend more time on the internet, go out to eat at a restaurant, read for pleasure, sleep, hike, or do some traveling.

Work Places

60% of the students surveyed said that they have a job or are looking for a job. While several of them identified their job to be a form of work study, through which they are paid through the school, it s not uncommon for a student to balance classes and a part time job. Some even manage to work full-time. Some of the job positions that students claimed to have held included:

When asked what they like to spend their money on, 65% of students acknowledged food and/or drink as primary concerns. Food could include eating at home or eating at a restaurant, while drink pertained either to coffee or alcohol. The second highest necessity, according to the survey, was clothing, followed by purchasing movies and music. 60% of students said that they like to spend money on clothing. Other answers included books, gas, plane tickets, and assorted products. In consumer America, there is never a shortage of things one can buy.

RELATIONSHIPS

It does not matter what country someone travels to; the natives will almost always value relationships. Friendships, relationships with a significant other, and family life are important to the well-being of any person. The following sections don t necessarily pertain to how a friend or a couple acts, but what people value in a friend or significant other. It is in knowing a person s values that he/she may be understood, without which he/she cannot be appreciated.

Best Friends

The following is a comprehensive list of qualities with which students have labeled their best friends:

Significant Others

The following is a comprehensive list of qualities with which students have labeled their significant others (this question was labeled as optional not everyone replied):

Family Life

While the divorce rate in America is higher than ever, it doesn t mean that there can t be strong family units. The divorce rate has also failed to discourage young adults from getting married. While people are deciding to wait until a later age to get married, it s become a matter of taking things slowly and being sure about having the right person. Even though some people chose to ignore this question or dismiss it with a one-word answer, there were several students who had a lot to say. Whether it comes from their parents or their siblings, students appreciate support, generosity, close bonds, hard-work, sharing embarrassing moments together, understanding, diversity among members, respect, prayer, and love.

PERCEPTIONS

Perceiving Events

While the majority of students said that they don t have any concerns about their hometown, some addressed the importance of safety. Though some places have been dangerous for a long time and continue to be dangerous, it doesn t mean that students aren t concerned with safety. If they indicated that they have no major concerns, it is most likely because they do feel safe. When people did address a concern, the answers varied. One person mentioned being concerned about a brother getting married, another talked about repairing his home. While this question might be considered vague, it was important to give people a broad door to fit their answer through. As for perceiving events around the world, most people acknowledged that there are things wrong with the world. Some people dismissed the bigger picture and limited the concerns to their immediate area: what they could be doing right now. Others made a head-first attack on one or more major issues that concerned them. Some of the concerns included: climate change, human sense to entitlement, nuclear proliferation, women s global status, domestic and international violence, sex trafficking, treatment of children, and marginalization of vulnerable peoples.

Perceiving Culture

Despite common stereotypes of the overly-proud, stubborn American, the students surveyed did not exemplify the notorious America is the best mentality. If anything, some people criticized American culture for being individualistic, greedy, vulgar, and ignorant, if not devoid of culture. It is interesting to note that only two of the people surveyed were not citizens of the United States. One foreigner said it was ok; the other questioned the existence of culture. On the other hand, perceptions of foreign culture were much less bitter. Students find other cultures to be exotic, very different from American culture, anti-American at times, and intriguing. Again, there is this idea of self-rejection and interest in the new and the diverse. For centuries, difference viewed with a belittling eye, often labeling what s different for what s inferior. To this is, if anything, an interesting change in perception, especially from students.

Basic Beliefs

The following is a comprehensive list of ideals that students called their best traits:

CONCLUSION

While this is certainly not everything that needs to be said about life in the United States or its people, consider this to be a culture sampling. This is a taste of the thoughts of university students, all of whom will influence where this country goes and what it becomes. All are welcome.