Chinese university students went viral on the internet for making fun of graduation photos. Instead of appearing happy, tossing their hats in the air and celebrating the stage win, other poses were struck. If students turn up lying on the ground, others throw their diplomas in the trash.
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Some other photos show students hanging from bridges or park benches in a dejected pose. In still other cases, the students lie face down on stairs or on grassy areas.
Why did photos of Chinese students go viral?
The images, which went viral on social media, indicate that 11.6 million students face entering a difficult youth job market.
On Thursday, youth unemployment hit a record high for the second straight month. As the Covid19 outbreak subsided, the market rebounded and job opportunities in China became even more chaotic.
The unemployment rate among Chinese 1624 year olds rose to 20.8% from 20.4% in April, the National Bureau of Statistics said. Admission to universities became a means of getting better jobs, but the market was crowded with people with resumes in hand.
China’s student crisis
The pandemic has made higher education particularly popular, with many students choosing to stay in school rather than seek jobs. This happened in an economy that was virtually at a standstill under the CovidZero restrictions.
Between 2021 and 2022, the number of students enrolled in higher education increased by more than 6%. But instead of celebrating their degrees, many students now joke that their studies are a waste of time.
A user on Douyin, a videosharing platform, wrote, “I love this type of graduation photo, it’s very similar to my halfdead state of life.” Apparently, the situation of young Chinese college graduates poses an incredible hurdle to overcome.