A study released by Twix, a product from Mars Company, showed last month students would rather give up their significant other than technology when taking a study break.
The study, performed for the product's campaign, was performed to reveal how much campus life has evolved over the past 30 years, as well as show how students take time away from studying and how much technology plays a role in their daily lives on campus, said Lauren Nelson of Weber Shandwick, a Public Relations firm representing Twix.
Nelson said Twix polled current college students as well as graduates ranging from the 1970s to the 2000s and those graduating in 2010. The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1,046 men and women in Nov. 2009, she said.
The Twix study also found that nearly two out of three current students would choose technology over a relationship, said Nelson.
This is compared to 20 years ago, when most Generation X coeds would gladly have swapped a computer for some loving, she said.
Melinda Messineo, associate professor of sociology at Ball State, said that social networking plays a part in results from this study.
"Students can most likely stand not talking to one person, as long as they can maintain a connection with others through social networks," Messineo said.
Students have a harder time living without contacts rather than one friend, she said.
Andy Mattingly, freshman computer science major, said he thought the study was interesting but admits he too would prefer technology.
"I think your girlfriend would be more distracting during your study break than technology," he said.
Katie Bates, freshman nursing major, said she was not surprised with the results.
"I know when I'm studying my brain just needs a break, so I'd rather not have to talk to anyone and just get on my computer," she said.
However, senior criminal justice major Matt Kirk said he would rather talk to someone during his break.
"I would rather have some type of social interaction because when I've been studying for so long that's what I need," he said.
Another finding from the Twix survey reported that two in five people named the Internet and social media as the number one thing they couldn't live without at college, compared to only four percent who cited the library as a campus necessity, Nelson said.
"That's a radical step change from the majority of their parents, who as students in the 1970s and 1980s felt the library was the college must-have," she said.
Today, a typical on-campus interaction is four times more likely to be through technology than it was 30 years ago when the majority of conversations were face-to-face, said Nelson.
For today's students, little more than half of their daily interactions are in person.
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