The Practice of Borrowing Amongst High School Students of Southpoint School

Borrowing items – school supplies, clothes, gadgets, books, etc. – have been considered normal for everyone especially in high school. For teenagers, it is observed that they usually borrow whenever they lack the needed items. “May I borrow – ?” is one of the most common phrases you will hear in a classroom. It is quite alarming actually when you realize that most teenagers have developed a tendency to rely on others when it comes to the needed items.

Teenagers generally borrow when they need it, they like it, or they find it amusing. Usually, at the beginning of the school year, most teenagers have the required school materials. But as the school year progresses, borrowing becomes more and more evident. When it comes to clothes, gadgets, and other luxuries, teenagers tend to borrow based on their preference or personal taste.

Borrowing has become a second nature to most teenagers. It does have its advantages. Borrowing lessens expenses especially for materials that might be need once or for only a short period of time. Borrowing may also help in identifying if one really wants a certain item. The disadvantages of borrow are quite significant. Lending someone something may not always guarantee that it’ll be returned. The more valuable an item, the more it needs to be returned in absolutely perfect or good condition.

Borrowing, the habit of temporarily using an item with a promise of returning it, has its benefits. But, its negative side effects and numerous possible damages are not to be neglected. The habits that teenagers have during their teen hood will be very vital in their adult life. Compared to teenagers, adults have more opportunities in borrowing, especially regarding money. Determining the borrowing habits as early as possible may help prevent possible mishaps in the future.

Almost everyone will borrow money from a bank at one time or another during their lives. When you borrow money from a bank, the bank charges interest on the sum you borrow, which is a cost you must pay in addition to paying back the original amount you borrowed. Borrowing money from a bank can have several advantages and disadvantages (Hamel).

Sometimes when things are tight and you find yourself needing a load, it’s tempting to grab the closest source of credit you can fine. Your credit card, for example, is an easy way to borrow, but you can be a double-edged sword if you end up defaulting on payments and getting bad credit history (Aragona, 2012).

Borrowing school supplies has become “uso” especially to people who don’t want to buy their own materials. It has become annoying to the people who actually spend hard earned money on materials that might not be usable anymore once it’s returned (Aquino, 2012).

Statement of the Problem

1. How often does a student borrow?

2. What items are commonly borrowed? (Top 5)

3. What gender borrows the most?

4. How often are the items returned?

5. What is the common condition of the items returned?

Definition of Terms

Borrowing – temporary use of something that is not yours.

Practice – the habitual act of doing something.

High school students of Southpoint School – the primary respondents of this research.

Scope and Limitation

The researcher’s study is focused on the borrowing habits of the high school students in Southpoint School. They interested on how often does a student borrow, what items are commonly borrowed, what gender borrows the most, how often are the items returned and what is the common condition of the items returned.

Significance of Study

This study will be of great significance to the following:
Students. This study will be useful to them since they will be informed of the borrowing habit of their peers. They will also know what items are commonly borrowed. They will be informed of what are the possibilities of it being returned in good, if not perfect, condition.

Teachers. This study will be of great use to the teachers because they will know of the borrowing habits of their students. They will be aware of what items their students commonly borrow. They will also be informed of what items their students might borrow from them and the possibility of it being returned.

Parents. This study will be useful to the parents of the students who borrow and lend their items. They will be informed of the borrowing habits of their children.

Hypothesis

• Female students do not borrow.

• Male students borrow often.

• The condition of the items borrowed when returned is damaged.

Review of Related Literature

Borrowing items is a great way to save money. Not only do you save money by not purchasing items, but having less stuff allows you to be more organized. Being organized saves money because you know what you have and where it is, so you don’t duplicate purchases. Borrowing also deepens relationships with our friends and neighbors (Anderson, 2009).

If you only need to use an item once or twice and you know your neighbor has one, there is no harm in asking to borrow it, as long as you return it in the same condition and as long as you don’t make a habit of it. Practice courtesy and respect when it comes to borrowing items from your neighbors (Renter’s Insurance).

It is nice to help others out now and then, but kind people are often taken advantage of by others that are not willing or able to reciprocate (Ray, 2012). Lending and borrowing can be a tricky business, especially when friends are involved. There’s more at stake than the stuff being lent or borrowed. There’s a friendship, which is usually the most fragile part of the deal. (Broke Grad Student). Borrowing something from someone is a very big responsibility. It’s a responsibility that some of us may take too lightly. It’s so important to take care of someone’s possessions if they are kind enough to loan them to you (Armstrong, 2010).

One of the reasons more friendships are killed by loans than is necessary is because it is easier to say “yes” than “no” to a friend. Your instinct may be telling you that this friend isn’t reliable with money, but since they are a friend and wouldn’t (intentionally) rip you off, you trust that it will all wash out in the end and save yourself the grief and stress of saying no to the loan request.

However, it is ultimately easier to face the temporary discomfort of saying no to an initial loan request than it is to have some of the tough
conversations that ensue after things get hairy if you proceed with the loan. Most friends will understand a “no”, even if they’re initially unhappy with it (Dunn, 2009).

There are certain rules of etiquette to follow on how to fix the habitual act of borrowing that may damage friendship:

Don’t ever borrow something that’s brand-new. Don’t even ask. Your friend might feel bad if she has to say no. Think about it: there’s too much risk of damaging or breaking it, and then you’d feel HORRIBLE. Even if you’re careful, you can’t always prevent something from getting ruined.

Don’t borrow something more than twice. If you use it too much, you’ll wear it out!! (It might be time to get your own. If you can’t afford it, save up your money.) Don’t keep quiet if you can’t currently afford to pay your friend the money you owe her. If you don’t speak up, she might think you’re never going to pay her back at all. Maybe you can work some sort of payment plan where you pay back a little at a time. Do return something in the condition you got it. If you wear your friend’s shirt, wash it or dry-clean it. If something breaks, repair it or replace it. If it’s irreplaceable, then offer the money it would cost to buy a new one.

Do ask permission about how long you’d like to keep something. Be clear on when you’ll be able to pay back the cash. If you wear her sweater and would like to keep it for a few days and wear it again, ask if that’s okay. Then there will be no misunderstandings.

Do thank your friends for letting you use their stuff. Never take them for granted! Sharing with friends can be a bonding experience. It’ll give you the warm fuzzies to know she trusts you and cares enough about you to let you use her stuff. So take a second to remember her generosity when she lends you something and don’t betray that trust (Being Girl)!

Borrowing is a habit that teenagers might carry with them until adulthood. Responsible borrowing is a must, once you borrow irresponsibly, especially concerning money, there will be consequences. Some of which most adults can’t handle.

Almost everyone will borrow money from a bank at one time or another during their lives. When you borrow money from a bank, the bank charges interest on the sum you borrow, which is a cost you must pay in addition to paying back the original amount you borrowed. Borrowing money from a bank can have several advantages and disadvantages (Hamel).

Sometimes when things are tight and you find yourself needing a load, it’s tempting to grab the closest source of credit you can fine. Your credit card, for example, is an easy way to borrow, but you can be a double-edged sword if you end up defaulting on payments and getting bad credit history (Aragona, 2012).

To prevent matters from getting worse, we must correct this habit. Responsible teenagers become responsible adults. It’s up to the authority figures in the teenagers’ life to correct this habit. Borrowing indeed has its benefits, but the disadvantages and consequences are not to be neglected.

CHAPTER II
METHODOLOGY

Research Design:

The method the researchers’ used was the Descriptive Research and Simple Percentage. Percentage = Number of respondents x 100
Total number of respondents

Research Environment:

The researchers’ conducted their research in the high school department of Southpoint School, which is situated at Datu Loho / F. Torres Extension, Ma-a, Davao City.

Research Respondents:

All high school students in Southpoint excluding the researchers were the respondents of this research. There are a total 138 high school students. Minus the 2 researchers, there was supposed to be a total of 136 respondents but only 134 were able to take the survey. 82 of which or 61.20% are male and 52 or 38.80% are female.

Number of students who were given the questionnaires:

|Year Level and Section |Number of Male Students |Number of Female Students |Total Number of Students | |I – Masigasig |19 |14 |33 | |II – Matapat |14 |2 |16 | |II – Malikhain |14 |5 |19 | |III – Dakila |16 |12 |28 | |IV – Matagumpay |8 |10 |18 | |IV – Maunlad |11 |9 |20 | |Total Number: |82 |52 |134 | |Percentage: |61.20% |38.80% |100% |

Research Instruments:

Survey questionnaires were used to collect data which consisted of questions about the item they borrow most, how often they borrow and the like.

Administration of Study:

The researchers asked permission to conduct a survey in the high school department by handing out letters to the principal and the advisers a day before their intended day of handing out the said questionnaires.

Gathering of the Data:

The questionnaires were distributed at 4:30 P.M. the day after they got approval. They handed them out one classroom at a time, moving on only after every student has answered.

Tabulating of the Data:

The researchers tallied every answer of their respondents, separating them as necessary. After which they got the percentage.

1. The researchers got the number of boys and girls per room to get the percentage for each statement of the problem. 2. They organized it into neat tables to present the data. 3. The researchers then got the necessary data for their research.

Presenting of the Data:

After the researchers tabulated their data they organized it based on their problems which are:

1. How often does a student borrow?

|Choices |Male |Female |Total |Percentage | |Always |6 |4 |10 |7.46% | |Often |19 |11 |30 |22.39% | |Sometimes |56 |36 |92 |68.66% | |Never |1 |1 |2 |1.49% | |Total: |82
|52 |134 |100% |

Based on the data collected, it is clear that 7.46% or 10 students – 6 of which are male and 4 of which are female – always borrow. 22.39% or 30 students – 19 of which are male and 11 of which are female – borrow often. 68.66% or 92 students – 56 of which are male and 36 of which are female – sometimes borrow. 1.49% or 2 students – 1 of which is male and 1 of which is female – never borrow. This table implies that most students – male and female – borrow 1-2 items every day.

2. What items are commonly borrowed? (Top 5)

|Item |Number of checks for each item |Percentage | |Money |57 |42.54% | |Clothes |26 |19.40% | |Books |32 |23.88% | |Writing Materials |116 |86.57% | |Coloring Materials |87 |64.93% | |Toys |12 |8.96% | |Gadgets |82 |61.19% | |None of the Above |1 |0.75% | |Never |1 |0.75% |

Based on the data gathered, it is clear that 42.54% or 57 students borrow money. 19.40% or 26 students borrow clothes. 23.88% or 32 students borrow books. 86.57% or 116 students borrow writing materials. 64.93% or 87 students borrow coloring materials. 8.96% or 12 students borrow toys. 61.19% or 82 students borrow gadgets. 0.75% or 1 student borrows none of the above. 0.75% or 1 student never borrows. Writing materials, coloring materials, gadgets, money and books are the top 5 most common items borrowed.

3. What gender borrows the most?

|Choices |Male |Percentage |Female |Percentage | |Always |6 |7.32% |4 |7.69% | |Often |19 |23.17% |11 |21.15% | |Sometimes |56 |68.29% |36 |69.23% | |Never |1 |1.22% |1 |1.93% | |Total: |82 |100% |52 |100% |

Based on the data collected, it is clear that amongst 81 male students, only 1 or 1.22% does not borrow. The remaining 98.78% definitely borrow items. 6 out of 82 male students or 7.32% borrow always – 5 or more items above a day. 19 out of 82 male students or 23.17% borrow often – 3-4 items a day. 56 out of 82 male students or 68.29% borrow sometimes – 1-3 items a day.

On the other hand, amongst 52 female students, only one or 1.93% does not borrow. The remaining 98.07% definitely borrow items. 4 out of 52 or 7.69% borrow always – 5 or more items above a day. 11 out of 52 or 21.15% borrow often – 3-4 items a day. 36 out of 52 or 69.23% borrow sometimes – 1-2 items a day.

Males borrow the most. With a total of 98.78% of the entire male population borrowing, may it be always, often or sometimes. They definitely outnumber the females by 0.71%.

4. How often are the items returned?

|Choices |Number of Students |Percentage | |Always |105 |79.55%
| |Often |12 |9.09% | |Sometimes |13 |9.85% | |Never |2 |1.51% | |Total: |132 |100% |

Based on the date collected, 132 out of 134 borrow items from their classmates and peers. 105 out of 132 or 79.55% always return the items they borrow. 12 out of 132 or 9.09% often return the items they borrow. 13 out 132 or 9.85% sometimes return the items they borrow. While 2 out of 132 or 1.51% never return the items they borrow.

5. What is the common condition of the items returned?

|Choices |Number of Students |Percentage | |Perfect |53 |40.15% | |Good |63 |47.73% | |In no good condition |12 |9.09% | |Damaged |4 |3.03% | |Total: |132 |100% |

Based on the data collected, among the 132 respondents, male and female alike, that borrow return the items they borrowed. 54 out of 134 or 40.15% return the item in perfect condition – the item is in the same state as it was when borrowed. 64 out of 134 or 47.73% return the item in good condition – there is minimal damage but it is highly usable. 12 out of 134 or 9.09%% return the item in no good condition – some damage but is still generally useful. 4 out of 132 or 3.03% return the item in damaged condition – needs replacement; important parts for the item to work are broken, lost or damaged. This table implies that the most items borrowed will be returned in good condition.

CHAPTER III
SUMMARY OF DATA, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary of the Data

For statement 1, the data showed that most students borrow at least 1-2 items a day since most of the students chose “Sometimes.”

For statement 2, the data showed the top 5 most commonly borrowed items are, in descending order: Writing Materials, Coloring Materials, Gadgets, Money then books.

For statement 3, the gender that borrows the most is the male, since it seems that there are more male then female students in the high school department of Southpoint School.

For statement 4, items are always returned as approximately 78% of the respondents said they always return the items they borrow.

For statement 5, the data showed that common condition of the items returned is “Good,” but “Perfect” is a close second.

Conclusion

Based on the date gathered, the researchers were able to conclude that:

• Both genders borrow sometimes.
• Males borrow more often than females.
• The common condition of the items borrowed when returned is good. • The top 5 most commonly borrowed items are writing materials, coloring materials, gadgets, money, and books, respectively.

Therefore, the researchers’ hypotheses are rejected.

Recommendation

The researchers recommend the following:
• The high school students of Southpoint School to be stricter about the return of their items. • The students should be more careful with the items they borrow to avoid damaging the item. • The students to stock up on writing materials since they are the most commonly borrowed item. • The parents should also make sure that their children have all their required materials so that borrowing won’t be an option.

APPENDIX A
December 12, 2012

Judith C. Bacarro, Ph. D.
Principal
Southpoint School

Dear Madam,

We, the 4th year students of section Matagumpay, would like to ask for your approval from your good office to allow us to conduct a survey in the high school department for the completion of our research entitled “The Practice of Borrowing amongst high school students in Southpoint School.”

In line with this, we would like to conduct survey questionnaires to the high school department to collect data for our research work on December 13, 2012 at 4:20 P.M.

Hoping for your kind consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Christine Marie Zosa

Leah Junia Bote

APPENDIX B
December 12, 2012

Dear Teachers,

We, the 4th year students of section Matagumpay, would like to ask for your approval from your good office to allow us to conduct a survey in the high school department for the completion of our research entitled “The Practice of Borrowing amongst high school students in Southpoint School.”

In line with this, we would like to conduct survey questionnaires to the high school department to collect data for our research work on December 13, 2012 at 4:20 P.M.

Hoping for your kind consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Christine Marie Zosa

Leah Junia Bote

APPENDIX C
Please read the legend carefully before answering. Check the circle of your answer. (

Year Level: O I O II O III O IV

Gender: O MaleO Female

1. Do you let other people borrow your things? (i.e. books, clothes, money, etc.)

O Yes O No

2. Do you borrow other people’s things?

O Always O Sometimes
O Often O Never

3. What item/s do you usually borrow? (Shade as many as applicable.)

O Money
O Clothes
O Books
O Writing Materials (i.e. pencils, pens, etc.)
O Coloring Materials (i.e. crayons, oil pastels, etc.)
O Toys
O Gadgets (i.e. cellular phones, laptops, etc.)
O Others (Please Specify): _________________

4. Do you return the item/s you borrow?

O Always O Sometimes
O Often O Never

5. Do the people who borrow from you return the said item/s?

O Always O Sometimes
O Often O Never

6. What is the condition of the item/s you borrow when you are in the act of borrowing?

O Perfect O In good condition
O Good O Damaged

7. What is the condition of the item/s you borrow when you are in the act of returning?

O Perfect O In no good condition
O Good O Damaged

LEGEND:
Always – You borrow 5 items and above in a day
Often – You borrow 3 – 4 items a day
Sometimes – You borrow 1 – 2 items a day
Never – You don’t borrow at all
——————————————————
Perfect – The item is in the same state as when it was borrowed Good – There is a minimal damage but is still highly usable (Scratches, tears, cracks, etc.) In no good condition – Some damage but is still generally useful (loss of semi-important parts, broken bindings, etc.) Damaged – Needs replacement; Important parts for the item to work is broken, lost or damaged

APPENDIX D

Number of students who were given the questionnaires:

|Year Level and Section |Number of Male Students |Number of Female Students |Total Number of Students | |I – Masigasig |19 |14 |33 | |II – Matapat |14 |2 |16 | |II – Malikhain |14 |5 |19 | |III – Dakila |16 |12 |28 | |IV – Matagumpay |8 |10 |18 | |IV – Maunlad |11 |9 |20 | |Total Number: |82 |52 |134
| |Percentage: |61.20% |38.80% |100% |

APPENDIX E

1. How often does a student borrow?

|Choices |Male |Female |Total |Percentage | |Always |6 |4 |10 |7.46% | |Often |19 |11 |30 |22.39% | |Sometimes |56 |36 |92 |68.66% | |Never |1 |1 |2 |1.49% | |Total: |82 |52 |134 |100% |

APPENDIX F
2. What items are commonly borrowed? (Top 5)

|Item |Number of checks for each item |Percentage | |Money |57 |42.54% | |Clothes |26 |19.40% | |Books |32 |23.88% | |Writing Materials |116 |86.57% | |Coloring Materials |87 |64.93% | |Toys |12 |8.96% | |Gadgets |82 |61.19% | |None of the Above |1 |0.75% | |Never |1 |0.75% |

APPENDIX G
3. What gender borrows the most?

|Choices |Male |Percentage |Female |Percentage | |Always |6 |7.32% |4 |7.69% | |Often |19 |23.17% |11 |21.15% | |Sometimes |56 |68.29% |36 |69.23% | |Never |1 |1.22% |1 |1.93% | |Total: |82 |100% |52 |100% |

APPENDIX H
4. How often are the items returned?

|Choices |Number of Students |Percentage | |Always |105 |79.55% | |Often |12 |9.09% | |Sometimes |13 |9.85% | |Never |2 |1.51% | |Total: |132 |100% |

APPENDIX I
5. What is the common condition of the items returned?

|Choices |Number of Students |Percentage | |Perfect |53 |40.15%
| |Good |63 |47.73% | |In no good condition |12 |9.09% | |Damaged |4 |3.03% | |Total: |132 |100% |

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