We asked Edinburgh students what’s the maddest thing they’ve spent their student loan on

When student loan enters our bank accounts, it is a good time for everyone. We find ourselves momentarily forgetting about the deepening pool of debt we're sinking in to, and find a way to justify to spending our money on anything and everything.

Wanting to find out what other students find themselves spending their money on when they feel as though they deserve a treat, we went out and asked some.

If we learnt one thing, we learnt the amount spent is irrelevant for it to be regarded as a 'waste' of money.

Here are some of the maddest things we heard about:

Patrick & His Saxophone

Inspired by the one and only Lisa Simpson, Patrick decided to splash to cash on an Alto Sax.

Patrick: "I always really wanted a saxophone growing up, ever since I saw the episode of The Simpsons where Lisa gets one and plays Baker Street.

"So during first year exams, in a fit of procrastination, I found the cheapest saxophone Amazon sold. It cost about £180, and it arrived the next day. I opened it up and tried to play some sweet, sweet sax but broke the mouthpiece within maybe 30 seconds of opening it.

"I kept it under my bed for two days because I received noise complaints from my neighbours who were trying to study and returned it after that. Playing the sax is a lot harder than I thought."

Cost: £180

Holly & Her Grillz

Inspired by Nelly’s smash hit tune, Grillz, Holly decided to spend some of her student loan on her very own set of grillz.

“Well, I was in the pub feeling miserable about my deadlines and decided I needed to try something new. I considered getting a hamster, but thought that would be too much responsibility. Then i found http://bling-bling-online.co.uk and I thought, “how perfect!”.

"The quality was shit, and I think I scratched most of my enamel away but I felt like the coolest person on earth. I ended up getting a hamster anyway but it inspired me to get a single gold tooth grill when i've got more p.”

Cost: £20

Leslie & Her Trip To Laayoune

To protect those involved in the following story, they've asked to go by the name 'Leslie'.

Leslie, a student at Oxbridge, bought one way flights to Laayoune in a 'get as far as you can from Uni in a weekend' challenge with one of his friends. Where they eventually got to was Laayoune, Western Sahara, a currently disputed territory, with rumours of land mines and a known UN military presence to maintain a ceasefire.

Having arrived there, due to transportation and passport issues, they were prevented from leaving for 7 days, when they returned they ended up in a fair bit of trouble with their college. When I asked Leslie if it was worth it? Her response: 'Hell yeah.'

Cost: £200

Phoebe & Her Ball Pit

Paying the bills, sorting out a TV licence, and enforcing a cleaning rota are not at the top of Phoebe's or her flatmates priorities. They wanted a ball pit, so they bought one.

"We bought it because they're actually really good to de-stress, as well as a sick feature for flat parties. We have spent about £90 in total on it because it takes a lot of balls. No regrets."

Cost: £90

Jake & the One-Can Fridge

Jake wanted to crack open a cold one with the boys, sadly it really was only one he could crack:

“When I first purchased my fridge, I was excited for a lifetime of cold cans. Unfortunately, this simple dream fell flat as I opened the Amazon package, discovering that only one measly can could fit inside.

"This was not my only disappointment, the noise was unbearable, keeping me up on numerous nights with me questioning every day whether this sacrifice was worth it.

"By the end of the year I came to the conclusion it wasn’t, and to this day the location of the fridge remains a mystery.”

Cost: £65

Khalil and Matthew, 60 Paintballing Tickets

Khalil and Matthew chose to invest their student loans on sixty paintball tickets in an attempt to organise some Call of Duty-esque Team Deathmatch, sadly that didn’t materialise

“I'd just stepped out of an Engineering lecture one day early in first year and felt I needed some excitement in my life. The table selling paintball tickets was right in front of me. I had just received my student finance earlier as well, so I thought I was balling as hard as LeBron (except with a hairline), so this deal for 30 paintball tickets seemed like the perfect low-cost freshers bonding trip.

"First we bought 10 tickets each, then another 20 tickets each for the same price as the first 10 were clearly a godsend. Safe to say I am still in possession of them all.

"I still feel it was a good investment because I have three more years to get people to come get gunned down and disrespected. Year 1 didn't work out but we move nonetheless.”

Cost: £120 (not including paintballs)

Robbie & His Hamster

Robbie and his flatmates sought refuge from a furry friend to nurse them through their hangovers.

"My flatmate and I went to Asda to get some hangover food and fancied a look at the cute animals in Pets At Home. We ended up seeing a very cute hamster, subsequently spending £40 on Mandy and a cage for her.

"It was the best idea ever till we found out how loud hamsters are at night and how smelly they make a small flat after a couple of days. Mandy died in her sleep at the respectable age of 8 months, which makes her £5 a month. Quite a good deal.

"I also bought three fish from the same Pets At Home for £15 and they died after a day."

Cost: £55

Fergus & His Teasmade Machine

Fergus knew what he wanted, he searched the market, and he found it. He has no regrets.

"I couldn't be arsed to keep getting up in the morning to make myself a cup of tea. It cost about £70 for the Teasmade machine, the milk capsules, a sugar dispenser and delivery. Even though I don’t use it everyday, I still love it, and it feels homely and has a clock which is so handy."

Cost: £70

The Boys of Thirlestane & 120 Cherry-Scented Toilet Rolls

After a number of days without toilet roll, and incessant arguments about whose turn it was to purchase it, the boys of Thirlestane decided that something had to be done:

“We’d had a few near misses. I know for a fact that one the boys got very close to using one of his socks in a moment of sheer desperation. In the end, we all chipped in and ordered 120 ‘Cherry-Scented Toilet Rolls’.

“When we bought them, we thought it was the most innovative idea ever. Never again would we need to nip the shop and drop £1.60 on four bang average bog rolls. We’d be living in luxury.

“However, we are aware that guests who do not know the struggle we’ve been through might be rather alarmed by the pile of toilet rolls big enough to sleep on in the hallway."

Cost: £22.99

Joshua & Mr. Ron Burgundy

Joshua, an aspiring journalist, tries to surround himself with the right people in order to keep him on the path that he wants to be on. Hence, the Ron Burgundy bust.

"I ordered it on Amazon last year after a night out, spending £20 on it. To this day, he sits proudly on my desk, and I don't really regret buying him.

"I want to be a journalist, so seeing such a renowned journalist at my desk every day inspires me.

"His head has fallen off recently but I've glued it back on because I've got his back."

Cost: £20