STUDENT MOANS: Freshers lose £347 of personal belongings in their first year of Uni

• Fresher blues: 7 in 10 Uni students lose or break personal belongings in their first year 
• Heads gone: Headphones are the most losable item followed by jewellery and then mobile phones 
• I bet that you look good on the dance floor: 1 in 5 (20%) students lose a personal belonging in a pubs or clubs  
• Students keep it “Hush hush”: 3 in 5 (61%) don’t tell their parents 

Research by O2 finds nearly 7 in 10 (68%) students lose or break personal belongings in their first year of university, amounting to £347 per student on average. 

The most common locations for losing items include whilst on a night out (20%), on public transport (19%), in a lecture hall (17%), in the library (12%) and at a house party (9%).  

Losses can become costly as nearly 1 in 4 (23%) spend between £401 – £2,000 replacing their lost property. This blunder is a regular occurrence for some freshers as nearly 1 in 5 (18%) admit to losing a personal item every week.  

Surprisingly, 3 in 5 (61%) don’t tell their parents, but of those that do 1 in 5 (20%) rely on their parents to pay up for their clumsiness.  

Top five most common lost personal belongings: 

When replacing a mobile phone, nearly 1 in 3 (32%) students buy a refurbished or a second-hand replacement mobile phone. Not only are these better for the planet but save up to £200 compared to buying the same model brand-new.  

O2’s refurbished phone range, Like New, is perfect for those first year University students who’ve lost their phone. Each phone will undergo at least 40 quality checks to ensure every screen, microphone, flashlight, volume key, speaker, camera, battery and fingerprint scanner meets the same or similar standard of a new phone. 

Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2 says: “We know that when students start university there’s bound to be mobile mishaps and when the stress of losing a phone strikes, O2 is here to help students make sure their pennies stretch further. 

“Whether it be through O2 Recycle, where students can trade in their old gadgets* for cash to buy a replacement phone, or through purchasing a Like New handset which offers a £200 saving compared to the cost of a brand-new device, there’s plenty of options to help students keep connected while also watching out for the planet.” 

Saving cash is priority for most students as 91% rely on their student discount to get a cheaper deal. Students can enjoy exclusive Virgin Media O2 discounts including 20% off their Airtime contract* or unlock Virgin Media broadband deals. Both broadband and mobile customers can also get access to Priority rewards which saves members on average £500 over the period of their contract. 

Customers can also purchase O2 Insure to be covered for any accidental loss, theft or damage to their handset or tablet**, ideal for those who need that extra layer of protection.