How do you describe typical students at Kansas University?

Well, their dress is casual. A growing number of them are carrying handheld computers. And cell phones have become standard equipment.

At least that seemed to be the result of a nonscientific poll of a handful of KU students conducted by the Journal-World earlier this summer.

“Laptop computers were big, but now it seems to be Palm Pilots,” said Jeremy Clarkson, Toronto, Canada, a fifth-year senior at Kansas University. “Palm Pilots were something I’d never heard about when I first came here four years ago.”

Clarkson has a cell phone, but he has yet to get a Palm Pilot or other type of handheld computer.

Cell phones have become as common as textbooks on campus. While professors often warn students the first day of class to turn them off, students aren’t the only ones who carry them.

“I had a teacher who would answer his cell phone in class,” said Kim Marshall, a Lawrence junior.

When it comes to dress, the more casual the better.

“It’s jeans and T-shirts,” Clarkson said.

In the summer the jeans are swapped for shorts and in the winter the T-shirts become sweatshirts, students said.

“I always wear tennis shoes,” said Tiffany Horsefield, a junior from Cuba, Mo.

The dress gets more casual the longer you are a student, Lawrence junior Tanner Wycoff said.

“When you are a freshman, I think you may tend to dress up more,” Wycoff said. “The older you get, you could care less.”

KU students are mixed about how early they want to start their classes. Some don’t want to start before 9 a.m. But Horsefield and Wycoff are exceptions. Horsefield said she didn’t mind getting a class that starts at 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. because she has a part-time job after those classes.

Wycoff agreed.

“I like to get there early because there’s more parking, and you can get away from campus earlier,” Wycoff said.

Students interviewed also prefer their daily classes back-to-back with no down time between them. If she does have an hour between classes, Marshall just tries to relax.

“If I have some time, I’ll just get a pop and sit in the hallway,” Marshall said.

“I’ll just sit in the hallway and talk to friends or go over in front of Wescoe (Hall),” Clarkson said.

Fast-food restaurants are still the choice for lunch or any daytime meal for students, whether it is at the Kansas Union or off campus around Lawrence.

Study times are irregular and whenever students find the time to work it in.

“I study whenever I get a chance,” Clarkson said. “If I can study at work, I’ll do that. If I can’t then I’ll just study later. It can make for a long night.”

Wycoff also has some late nights.

“My bad habit is studying late,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t get started until 10 p.m.”

Horsefield prefers to get her studying out of the way after she gets home from work.

“I try to get my studying done early in the evening,” Horsefield said. “But there are times when I procrastinate.”

It’s hard to come to KU and not become a sports fan if you weren’t already. Consistently having one of the top men’s basketball teams in the country year after year helps, students said.

“My favorite sport is basketball,” said Horsefield, whose goal is to become a sports broadcaster. “I go to football games, too.”