Great research. How journalists can claim something when the opposite is true is really just lazy. I do not think the cause is just down to rent etc. When I was at uni people going out was a priority so any spare money went on the pub. Now priorities have changed - it seems the focus is more on looking good, expensive clothes, eating out, etc. There are various theories for this, my favourite is how they have been influenced by social media into projecting how wonderful their life is, whereas before if you did not go to a pub / club / common room life would have been quite dull.