Graduation season: 3 Things you don't want to miss

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After years of all-nighters, society activities and tight deadlines, it is time to say goodbye to school schedules and take a leap into real adult life. The transitions always come with concerns and doubts about the uncertain future.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, a total of 8.2 million college students are expected to graduate in 2018, an increase of 250,000 from 2017, facing great challenges in finding jobs.

The China University Media Union (CUMU) surveyed 619 graduates from universities across China and found that 82.22 percent of the interviewees were suffering from post-graduation stress and anxiety.

A creative graduation photo by graduates from Shandong University of Science and Technology in Qingdao City, east ‍China's Shandong Province /VCG Photo

The months of June and July are widely regarded as a special season for graduation and farewells. During this period of time, students usually seek various ways to celebrate this pivotal moment in life and release stress over the transitions.

Here are 3 things that highlight the graduation season.

Graduation presents

Presents are usually indispensable at every significant moment in our life. Graduates mostly receive presents from their parents and friends. Students studying Environment Design at the Wuhan University of Engineering Science obtained a heart-touching gift from their teacher Huang Jingjing, more specifically, made by herself.

L: Huang Jingjing(R) with her student; R: The watercolor-painting postcards of students’ profiles made by Huang /Photos via news.cnhan.com

Huang profiled each student in watercolor on postcards and sent them to her students. The DIY postcards featuring different faces for students are so valued due to the four years they spent together.

Another DIY graduation present prepared by Zhu Jiaqi, a student majoring in Landscape Architecture at the Sichuan Agricultural University (SAU), is a combination of Chinese traditional handicraft embroidery and campus landscapes.

The embroidery artworks created by Zhu Jiaqi /Photos via news.cnhan.com

Zhu created a series of artworks named “Embroidery of SAU” as the graduation present for senior schoolmates, depicting several typical scenic spots on campus including the library, the main classroom building, the sports ground, etc.

Aside from the exquisite gifts containing precious memories, a number of universities also gave out graduation presents as souvenirs. Among them rings become the top choice for the majority of the institutes of higher education.

The graduation ring of the University of Science and Technology of China /Photo via xinzuji.com

Inspired by the United States Military Academy at West Point, the University of Science and Technology of China engraves the ring with its initials “USTC” on the outer surface, and the inner surface with the graduation year and four-digit number.

Seals with school badges and mottos are also popular among graduates. The Northwest University located in northwest China’s Xi’an City chose the seals made of Lantian Jade locally produced, one of the most charming ancient Chinese jades, which is very likely to be the most valuable graduation present, in price.

The graduation seals of the Northwest University (China) (L) and of the Tianjin Foreign Studies University (R) /Photo via xinzuji.com

As an ancient Chinese proverb goes that no promise can be made without a seal, the seals symbolize an emotional bond between the school and students. Tianjin Foreign Studies University selected crystal seals carved with every graduate’s name for each, which makes it an one-and-only present.

Graduation photos

Taking photos is also a must-do thing to capture the precious moment. Graduation photos can be very impressive and creative.

About 4,100 graduates from Central China Normal University gathered at the school playground on June 5 to take a grand group photo. Students and teachers from 24 colleges stood in a huge circle measures a circumference of approximately 300 meters and their smiling faces will finally appear on one eight-meter photo.

Graduates and teachers take the grand graduation photo at the playground of Central China Normal University in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, June 5, 2018. /Photo via hb.people.cn

Students can also add some creativity to their graduation photos through special costumes and interesting poses.

Graduation photos via jianshu.com

The well-designed formation contributes a lot to the composition of the photo. The patterns of heart, letters and numbers containing special meanings are mostly chosen by Chinese graduates.

Graduation photos via jianshu.com

Graduation photos featuring actions like jumping up are full of dynamic and energy. In addition, unique angles and props are believed to help carry out the narration of the ending of school life.

Graduation trip

Graduation season can also be regarded as the best time to start a journey. A recent research conducted by lvmama.com, an emerging B2C tourism e-commerce website in China, shows that 93 percent of graduates planned to have a graduation trip at home or abroad.

Most of the graduates admitted that they want to rejuvenate their body and mind and create special memories with friends they made through school.

An aerial view of Lijiang ancient town in southwest China’s Yunnan Province /VCG Photo

The top five of the most popular destinations in China are Yunnan, Sichuan, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hainan. Culture, nature and food is the three most popular concepts of the graduation trip. For example, Lijiang, an ancient city in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, and the historic Xi’an City in northwest China attract students with their rich and colorful culture.

The gorgeous beach and ocean views of Sanya, in south China’s Hainan Province, and Xiamen, in east China’s Fujian Province, seem to be most appealing for the graduates, whereas local delicacies like spicy hot pot are key selling points of Sichuan and Chongqing in southwest China.

A view of a harbor area in Xiamen City, east China's Fujian Province /VCG Photo

Yu Zhuo, vice president of Mafengwo, one of China’s biggest online platforms for sharing travel information, revealed that the 1990s and the millennials in China demand more individualized and theme-oriented travel experiences.

New concepts of graduation trip enjoy great popularity on Mafenwo.cn. For instance, more graduates traveling to Singapore tend to explore the history of beer at Tiger breweries or enjoy a dinner in the sky instead of posing in front of the Merlion nor heading to Sentosa.

Graduation trips are embracing a new trend where personalized and unique tour themes enjoy increasing popularity among the young – e.g. to visit shooting locations in hit dramas or films, to enjoy a live house or a concert by your favorite singers, to learn new skills like diving, or to engage in novel activities.

(Cover photo: A creative graduation photo taken on May 27, 2018 by graduates from China Medical University in Shenyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province /VCG Photo)