On October 23, the topic titled “Girl graduates from second-tier university and decides to work as a cleaner” sparked discussions on the internet.
In China, the undergraduate admission to universities is divided into three categories: first-tier universities, second-tier universities, and third-tier universities. First-tier universities are generally considered better than second-tier universities, with the latter mostly being comprehensive universities.
According to a report by “Beijing Youth Daily’s” platform “North Green Deep” on October 22, in June this year, 24-year-old Chang Hua graduated from a second-tier university in Qingdao. She and her family put in their best efforts to help her achieve this milestone.
Chang Hua was born in a remote village in Panzhihua, Sichuan, which is over thirty kilometers away from the county town. Some girls her age in her surroundings were already married and had children while she was in high school. She had a strong desire to break out of the secluded mountain area and “go further.”
To increase her chances of getting into high school and university, she started learning painting in middle school and became an art student. Her parents had to borrow money from various sources while she was attending art training classes. In 2020, Chang Hua was admitted to a university.
During her time at university in Qingdao, she experienced many “firsts” in her life: first time traveling out of the province, first time flying on a plane, first time seeing the sea. She met different people with different perspectives here, which made her more independent. However, the environmental design major she thought would lead to good job opportunities turned out to be disappointing.
Last year, Chang Hua applied for a master’s degree at Sichuan Normal University but failed. She felt like “the sky was falling” and the failure brought strong feelings of defeat, leaving her unsure of what to do next. She became more inclined towards practicality, especially since she still had a 40,000 yuan study loan to repay.
During her time at home resting, Chang Hua had never considered working as a cleaner after graduation until she stumbled upon a video by a blogger recommending it for graduates struggling to find employment.
Chang Hua said, “My initial reaction was probably similar to everyone else’s – why recommend cleaning jobs? In my mind, it’s a tough job, not very respected, and mostly done by older women. But after searching online, I found that it’s not uncommon for university graduates to work as cleaners, some even sharing their experiences through videos and earning decent income. At that moment, I felt inspired and thought I could do it too.”
On the day of her graduation defense, after a tumultuous journey, Chang Hua arrived in Hangzhou dragging a suitcase and two large bags. A few days later, she found her first job as a cleaner.
She mentioned, “This job allows me to pay rent, have meals, and also helped me get over the insomnia and fear brought on by the failed master’s degree exam. Moreover, the timing is very flexible – I can do what I want between shifts when there is a gap.”
When her younger brother learned that Chang Hua had become a cleaner after graduating, he emotionally asked, “Why go to university if you’re going to work as a cleaner? What was the meaning of the past four years?” She didn’t give a direct answer.
Currently, Chang Hua has been working as a cleaner for almost four months, and her experience has garnered attention on the internet.
The Vice General Manager of Commercial Real Estate Investment Center of Ke Rui, and Chairman of the Chain Industry Development Managers Club, “Huo Xiaobing” questioned, “Running to compete for jobs of women over 45 years old?”
An internet technology blogger and Weibo influencer “Lu Xixin” said, “It’s not embarrassing to work hard to make a living. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for graduates from top-tier universities or with postgraduate degrees to engage in simple labor jobs such as domestic work, security, or courier services.”
Many internet users expressed their struggles with employment, stating, “Being in the same class of 2024 as an environmental design major, it’s disheartening to graduate and be unemployed. I’ve been unemployed at home, but tomorrow, I’m going to Shanghai to look for suitable jobs, feeling so sad and wanting to cry.” “The issue of job opportunities is challenging. The current job market is tough, finding a job is difficult, and finding a good job is even harder.” “It’s really hard to find a job these past two years. Surviving first is important. This girl’s self-reliance without relying on her family is admirable!”
(Note: Names in this translation are fictional and used for illustrative purposes only.)