Admit it, you’re on the computer every day checking out several websites, hitting refresh and seeing what’s new. Studies have found that 53% of people believe they would be upset if they couldn’t get online while 40% believe they would feel lonely.

The use of technology continues to be a growing trend as new gadgets pop up every few months and college students lead the way in gadget use.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project report “College Students and Technology”, 98% of undergraduate students use the internet. 93% use broadband and 92% connect wirelessly using a laptop or cell phone.

Undergraduate students make up the largest percentage of students who use social networks followed closely by graduate and community college students. However, the largest percentage of social network users were adults ages 18-24 who were not in school. Someone has to keep up with Farmville right?

The use of different technological devices has grown throughout the years. Years ago it was rare to find someone who had a cell phone and an mp3 player, now everyone has cell phones that function as mp3 players along with e-readers, laptops and gaming consoles. Undergraduate students lead the way in owning e-readers and tablets. Undergrads are also more likely to own a laptop than a desktop computer.

A few months ago we did indeed mention that the use e-readers in college courses was a trend to watch for. Professors throughout various colleges and universities are developing their own methods or citing sources via e-readers.

Another unsurprising statistic is that 63% of undergrads admit to using their cell phones for the internet or email.

Technology use continues to rise and many higher education institutions are integrating its use into learning whether it is using an iPad for taking notes and using a laptop for distance learning.