An online poll found students are spending more. Of the 33 freshmen polled at a university-based BBS, 31 said they spent more than 500 yuan since the autumn semester started, spending the money largely on clothes, cosmetics and fashionable electronics.

The poll, initiated to find "how much you have spent within the first month of the semester," had only 33 participants, but the result sparked higher educationalists' outcry for conserving the merit of being thrift while the students are spending their parents' sweat and toil.

Students polled are asked to choose the column that fit their spending custom most. There are four kinds of money spending ranges, above 1,200 yuan, between 800 yuan and 1,200 yuan, between 500 yuan and 800 yuan and below 500 yuan. Fifteen students checked the first, 6 second, 8 third and 2 the last.

One of them explained how the money was spent. "I spent nearly 1,100 yuan this month, 580 yuan on clothes, 400 yuan on meals, some on telecommunication and..." Another spent 1,200 yuan, excluding the telecommunication fee. Some said they spent 4,000 yuan or more.

But that's not all. A lecturer with the Songjiang University Town said he knew a girl who used to spend more than 6,000 yuan on clothes, cosmetics, new mobile phones and MP3 players on the first month of the semester.

Besides the money they get from their parents, many students have found new ways. Most fashionable one is to apply for several credit cards and borrow money from different banks to make the balance.

(Shanghai Daily October 17, 2005)