Chris Brauer Media Project [BLOG]

Russian students attend teetotaler sex camp, Chinese students buy stocks, and when British students aren't busy inviting Bill Murray and Hugh Grant to crash their parties, they apparently turn off the footie to watch property shows and scream "BUY IT, BUY IT ... IT IS ONLY GOING UP!".

According to a survey by high street bank Abbey students are following their nouveau riche baby boomer parents down the line by putting travel plans on hold in record numbers to save money to buy property.

William Blake wrote that "in the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors".

Maybe UK students are taking the door thing a bit too literally these days. For reference Blake meant a door of perception a la Huxley or a Sir Walter Raleigh style gateway to the world. What he likely didn't mean is a weather-tight, energy efficient exterior door on a corner property projecting a handsome first impression.

"House prices have brought in a harsh new reality for students," said Nici Audhlam-Gardiner, head of Abbey Mortgages. "They now need to weigh up the benefits of travelling against jumping straight into a career and being able to afford to get on to the property ladder."