Matthew HigginsYork is one of the most picturesque cities in the UK, but it seems that for students living in a romantic hot spot does not guarantee that you are lucky in love (or lust as this article focuses on). In the 2011 Student Sex Survey the University of York came 59th with an average of 3.4 sexual partners per student.
Obviously sexual encounters do not make or break the university experience for most, but you would think that in a small city with over 15,000 people within the student population York students could achieve a little bit more. However, according to the results, the top three of the top five universities to get their leg over are also in the top 5 booziest universities (Leeds Metropolitan University, University of Glamorgan, and University of Wales Institute – Cardiff).
If you take a closer look at the student population at The University of York it has a 44:56 male to female ratio it could be argued that other universities simply have a better ratio, but unfortunately Leeds Metropolitan University has a 48:52. So clearly it appears that alcohol is a pretty big factor… But wait, are sat just outside the top 20 only 6.6 units of alcohol per week per student behind Leeds Metropolitan University (that’s only 3 pints of Fosters per week).
The student nightlife scene in York is very different compared to that of larger cities like Leeds and Cardiff so they do have the upper hand there; however the University of Hull sits in 15th place for sexual encounters with 6.7 sexual encounters per student – maybe then University of York students are concentrating hard on their studies? This would leave them no time to go out, drink, and find a sexual partner. However, University College London are 10th and are ranked 5th Times Top European Universities 2011-2012 (and 17th in the world) at 40th the University of Edinburgh are ranked 7th, and to add insult to injury – Oxford University is number one in the Times University Guide 2012, 4th in the world, 1st in Top European Universities and sits 32nd in the Student Sex Survey.
So, what do these results prove (if anything)? It either appears that students at The University of York are either committing to longer relationships or just experiencing a slightly different student experience than the rest of the UK. Unfortunately the surveys don’t address the amount of time students spend in relationships whilst at university so all of the information is relative.
Of course this article is not for or against multiple sexual relationships, but I would suggest if you are going to be engaging in a sexual relationship make sure you take all the necessary precautions to protect you own health, after all there are many benefits to a active sex life and here are just a few:
- Relieves stress
- Boosts your immune system
- Burns calories
- Improves the health of your heart
- Boosts you self-esteem
- Reduces the risk of prostate cancer in men
- Helps you sleep better
