NUS Sex Survey: 64% of NUS students have sex more than once a week — Oh Yeah?

I was stunned when I saw the heading on yesterday’s My Paper which was on NUS Sex Survey on the active sex lives of NUS students. What in the world?! I have no idea where and when on earth was the NUS sex survey conducted! And who conducted it? Seriously, I felt that this headline just served to make people jump into the bandwagon full of assumptions and unsupported conclusions. Asiaone even reported on this too!

Well eventually or just like 10 mins ago, my questions were addressed with a mere search on Google on the term ‘NUS Sex Survey’. It was conducted by our school’s magazine, the Ridge (which i often read) and I had no idea of their findings (apparently i might have missed out on that issue where they revealed such findings). Then there’s the issue of whether how credible the survey results are, how reliable and valid their measures are etc. etc.. (typical Psychology student who took a stats module with Dr. Why would be able to raise this questions, shame on you if you can’t! :P)

You can see for yourself the original survey findings over here.

I think I am not the only one who was skeptical of the finding. There are a couple of blogs which mention how the sample size is not representative of the entire NUS student population of about… mmm… 23,000?  Like what sakuranotoki mentioned, that the survey had a majority of Arts students (Ahem.. my fellow faculty mates) as respondents. And judging from the proportion of the survey respondents from the respective faculties, i don’t think it’s representative at all.

Ok, enough of the survey that was definitely not conducted with good knowledge and perhaps, expertise in Statistics.

Then again, the general idea that people have is that it’s 64%, what’s the big deal? Just like how Kawaii put it to be, “64%? C’mon… No big deal…” There’s that idea that things happen behind closed doors and the overreaction at the news is just uncalled for. But is our society really ready to except the fact that its youth may be hinted to be… ‘horny’ or even ‘promiscuous’ (man.. Nelly Furtado’s song is ringing in my head now..)?

Aldrich does bring in the fact that, there are actually such happenings that are taking place or have taken place even in other institutions (no comments as to whether HCJC or CJC have the honours of being the representatives of ‘other institutions’).. so why make a big fuss because of what – that they are NUS students?

This survey has got a lot of people talking, well at least at the VR-Forums and well, there’s more of poking fun at the survey rather than being critical of us, undergraduates (which would have been uncalled for.. i think). One thing I feel that is missing in emphasis is that majority of the undergraduates are at or above the age of 18 and well, I think it’s a personal choice that they have to make regarding the issue about sex.

Frankly, please give them (the uni students) the credit for being able to make their own decisions. Over in other western countries, by the age of 16 to 18, their youth are fully independent, self sufficient and able to make their choices. Likewise, so can we. Please stop thinking that Singaporean students lack the ability to decide properly for themselves because our education system has created us to be highly competent and knowledgeable members of society (or so I think) or at least, I think that the sex education that I underwent during secondary school was good enough to educate me on the dangers of having unprotected sex etc etc..

On a final note, I think that everyone shouldn’t take the survey as seriously as they have or how the media has devoted such media limelight on it. Because there are many doubts that are cast on how the survey was being conducted. The figures might not be even accurate to begin with. So, don’t worry yourself, namely all those who are going to cause an uproar over this issue of a percentage of 64%.. well, just be thankful at least it’s not 69% or that you caught 69 in action with your own eyes.. (oh gosh.. how corny..)

Anyway, it’s always good to look on a well, brighter side of things? Let’s just take the report as a ‘free publicity stint’ for NUS, now that the A levels are out, and the NUS Open House is coming up and that the 4 local universities are vying to attract as many applicants as possible.. I think the survey has not only increased the public’s awareness of the university but might have even boosted our popularity with people saying that they wanna come or should have come to NUS to do their studies. Well, just look at what Markie said!

Don’t lose sleep over these figures. This matter will soon be blown over by perhaps another similar-to-Edison Chen sex saga or perhaps another survey that might just arise from the corners of Singapore – perhaps the NTU sex survey? the SMU sex survey? or even the SIM sex survey.. Check out your daily newspaper for the next shocking headline to come! 😛

12 responses to “NUS Sex Survey: 64% of NUS students have sex more than once a week — Oh Yeah?”

  1. […] Happened to browse this blogger – PatriciaLin, she also includes the link to the original survey findings […]

  2. JY Avatar
    JY

    Hi,

    I was stunned by the 64% too, and my first tot is: ridiculous. A rough introduction, i am an alumnus of NUS, graduated 2 years ago, from a religious organization and yes, a virgin.

    Looking at the figure, my first thought is: if half of the nus students are attached and ALL of them have sex more than once a week, that will make out 50%. so the remaining 14% has one night stand? Or they visit Geylang every week?

    And the survey is from NUS students, very disapointing.

  3. Patricia Avatar

    Hi JY

    Interesting thought over there at how the results can actually be interpreted! The figures are definitely not representative and well, not making coherent sense.

    I’m glad that most people share the same sentiments at how the survey was rather poorly conducted and how misleading the results from the study are. I certainly don’t think my lecturer for statistics would ever forgive me if I ever did such a survey and even got it publicised by mainstream media.

    Then again, perhaps it’s just out of goodness that The Ridge did this survey to draw awareness on the consequences of having an active sex life etc. and unwittingly ‘alarmed’ the nation with such a piece of finding.

    But I must say, there’s not much of a storm brewing as I had initialy expected.. wahaha..

  4. JY Avatar
    JY

    haha, i guess, like what Jamie Yeo said yesterday: “huh, only 64%?” represents what many singaporeans think, at least that’s my observation from my conversation during lunch with my colleagues today.

    I’m not a I’m-holier-than-thou kind of guy, and i think everyone has their freedom to do what they want. Being a guy from neighbourhood background, having a few friends who till now still believe in saving the first night for the spouse, as one of the so called losers who were not attached in university and can’t afford/won’t go to Geylang at least once a week, I just thought that the stats is not fair to my friends and I who shared the same thought, who had to endure the same response from the worried parents questioning me whether I’m one of them, haha. And it’s because of these irresponsible articles and survey the older generation think that NUS people will go around and sleep with different guys and girls. If the survey says that 64% of undergrads has sex before it’s still okay, but it says that 64% of nus undergrads have sex more than once a week…

    Anyway this is the 2nd time coming to ur website, nice blog, never seen u in NUS before, haha

  5. Patricia Avatar

    Hi JY

    Glad to see you back! Haha.. Well, thanks for the compliment of my blog! It’s rather simple actually. And I won’t be surprised u haven’t seen me in NUS before for the following reasons..
    1. coz U’re 3rd/4th yr when I first entered.
    2. NUS is sooo bigg!
    3. if we are not from the same faculty, the chances of seeing me before is even slimmer. haha..

    but the amazing thing is, how did you get here? lol!

    Well, back to the topic, seriously i think that it’s up to us to decide what we want to do with our lives. btw, I applaude you for the choice that you made and your ability to resist all the temptations. You should be proud of it! Don’t ever label yourself as a ‘loser’ just because u didn’t get attached/didn’t got geylang/still a virgin ya..

    Anyway, my parents also had the same reaction to the newspaper and well, just jumped into criticising students these days.. high teen pregnancy rates etc etc. I think you get the picture right.

    Frankly, I think the headline has misled people in various ways (be it their impression of uni students, NUS or premarital sex) and actually I’m worried that it might foster the growth of the cultural norm of ‘sex in the uni’. Well, either way, the article has been published & the survey results have been exposed, whether or not people are going to let it affect their lives or perceptions, it’s entirely up to them.

    Wow… the power of Choice is so erm… powerful. haha..

  6. JY Avatar
    JY

    oh, cos i was looking around for details of how the NUS students did their survey, and i found this site. haha

    I am in Central library 80% of the time when i was in my final year, hahaha

  7. Patricia Avatar

    Hi JY!

    Well, i’m glad that my site was able to provide you with what you were looking for! 😀

    Anyway, which faculty were u from? 80% of the time in CL?? gosh.. u must be a really hardworking student then huh!

    Btw, do you have a blog that I can visit? 😉

    Cheers,
    Pat

  8. JY Avatar
    JY

    No la, cos in final year had to do honours year report ma, and many of my friends are from arts and we juz mix ard and study together lo, haha

    I’m from school of computing (sucks…)

    I do have a blog, the address is cannotanyhowonela.blogspot.com, haha, written in poor english, quite boring and only few close friends will go and read. If you don’t mind falling asleep… =)

  9. Patricia Avatar

    Hey JY!

    Well, I guess you must be very happy to have moved on from studying and mugging ya! 😀 SOC’s fine i guess? got a couple of friends over there. do you know they shifted to the Law building?

    Been to your blog.. 😀 It’s a pretty nice and personal blog. Nonetheless, it’s your thoughts and feelings and I shouldn’t critique it in anyway. So don’t worry about ‘poor english’ or ‘quite boring’ okie?

    Cheers,
    Patricia

  10. Jy Avatar
    Jy

    Hi Pat,

    haha, you sound like a primary school teacher always trying to encourage. Thanx, i’m not really low in self-esteem actually, haha. Ya it’s read by my close frens only becos it’s not very interesting.

  11. Patricia Avatar

    Hi JY,

    Oh don’t get me wrong! 😀 I don’t think you’re low in self-esteem or anything.. (gosh.. how did that happen?) was just putting out my genuine thoughts.. then again, maybe my past occupation of being a pri sch tutor has rubbed off on me and the way i approach people (pri sch kids are soo delicate so i need to be more ‘encouraging’) 😀

  12. PasserBy Avatar
    PasserBy

    Whoa, luckily they don’t do similar surveys in overseas colleges! American, top colleges are stilll ok, but in some moderately-populated colleges in places like Russia or some place like that, don’t expect a single-digit no. or a double-digit no. for the percentage of ppl who do have sex once per week.

    Expect a 3-digit no.
    Unless you take from the religious faculties. They have rich tradition, the old colleges, those do, but it includes…the less glorious side too.

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