University Students' Perceptions of the Quality of Life at University and Their Motivations for Recreational Activities

The aim of the study is to investigate the motivations of university students in Turkey to engage in recreational activities and their perceptions of the quality of life at university. Relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used in the study. The sample of the study consisted of 312 university students studying in five different state universities in Turkey in the academic year 2023-2024. University Quality of Life Scale and Recreational Activity Motivation Scale were used as data collection instruments. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-test, ANOVA test, and regression analysis. The results show that the level of motivation for recreational activities among university students is generally high. When the perception of quality of life at the university is examined, it is found that the perception of the participants is at a medium level. The difference in the mean scores of intrinsic motivation, utility, extrinsic motivation, and the total scale of students' leisure activity motivation scores in terms of gender was not significant. When the quality of life perception scores was evaluated in terms of gender, the difference in the mean scores calculated for instructor-student communication, benefit, identity, social opportunities, participation in decisions, student interaction, classroom environment, and the whole scale was not significant. It was also observed that the recreational motivation scores of the sophomores were significantly higher than the other grades, and the general university quality of life scores did not differ significantly by grade. The results show that recreational motivation explains about 15% of the change in perceived university quality of life. In this framework, it is suggested that university administrators should improve the quality of university life of students through the development of social facilities and recreational programs.