Uni students and the weird things they keep in their shared accommodation

With another year of university underway and students back in the classroom, it’s become clearer now more than ever that gadgets and laptops are the most valuable belongings students bring with them to uni.

In a recent survey conducted by Admiral Home Insurance, it was revealed that what students bring to uni today is very different to what their parents brought when they were students. The research shows that there have been some major changes in what today’s students own and bring to uni. For example, when asked “What was your most treasured item at university?” 70% of current students answered ‘laptop,’ while in stark contrast to that, students of the 80s indicated ‘Books’ and ‘Stereo.’

While laptops and books probably aren’t considered obscure or uncommon by many, Admiral also asked students what were the weirdest things that students of past and present either brought with them or “collected” while in uni.

Did you have any of these in your accommodation while at uni?

Traffic cones and signs are most popular item

Of the 407 responses that Admiral received on the survey, nearly 12 per cent involved traffic cones and road signs, making them they most popular items on the survey. But, why cones and traffic signs? It might be as simple as they are some of more common items that students come across on a night out!

Cardboard cut outs and posters

Two other common things that students like to bring to or collect at uni are either posters or cardboard cut-outs. A few examples of what the students’ cut outs were: Benedict Cumberbatch, James Bond, Pamela Anderson, a large cardboard cut out of a giant snowman, and a character from Star Wars.

Our weirdest pick: A cardboard cut out of Burt Reynolds – why would anyone ever want that in their living room?

Weirdest items

Although few and far between, there were some downright odd items that the surveyed students admitted to having in their possession at uni. Check out our list of the weirdest things students kept:

• Stolen toilet seat
• Stuffed gerbil
• Human sized teddy bear
• A wooden hippo
• Casino sized poker table
• Bagpipes
• A cabbage sculpture
• Tower of beer cans from floor to ceiling
• Gnomes

Did you know Admiral can help protect students’ belongings whilst they’re away at uni? To find out how you can keep your possessions (even the weird ones) safe, check out our helpful guide.