What they'remissing

July 11, 2000

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy, N.Y., surveyed college students about their use of the Internet and found that:

*63.9 percent have gotten less than 4 hours sleep in a night more than once because of using the Net.

*66.7 percent have been late for appointments more than once because they were spending time online.

*71.3 percent have missed a meal more than once rather than interrupt time on the Net.

*52.8 percent have used the Net to make themselves feel better when feeling sad, overwhelmed, or blue.

*38.9 percent have tried to spend less time on the Net, but have found it difficult to cut back.

*27.8 percent have seen their grades go down because they have been putting more time into Net-related activities.

*10.2 percent have dropped a class instead of spending less time on the Net.