Ants can complain too

Occasionally I wonder why so many of Beijing's soon-to-be college graduates are such a whiny bunch. After all, their lives are just about to begin, but so many of them are already determined that their lives in the city will be miserable after they graduate. As a university teacher, I see a lot of essays, many of which seem to discuss "the difficulties graduates face in finding jobs" or "the high housing prices" in Beijing.

These are often presented as social issues. Reading these papers is not as depressing as it is boring, they usually repeat the words of those who are unaware of the concept commonly referred to as "adulthood."

Students tend to repeat how difficult it is to find a job without any work experience in Beijing, yet few do anything to gain work experience while in college, not realizing how important this is. This leads students to contemplate their future as members of the "ant tribes." These are described in media as groups of college graduates, who haven't managed to land their dream jobs and now live in cramped conditions, trying to "make it" in Beijing, struggling to make ends meet. This is seen as the "beginning of the end" for many students. I view it as the beginning only.

Some of my friends studied in New York, where they stayed after graduation. Ten years later most of them are doing well, but back then their lifestyles were far from luxurious. Shared facilities, tiny spaces, a lack of sunlight - these were common for most fresh graduates who decided to try their luck in the city. Working random jobs and living in small spaces is common for graduates, whether they are in Tokyo, Paris or Moscow; it's just Beijingers have a fancy word for these city dwellers - "ant tribes."

A concern for many of my students is that "it is almost impossible for a new college graduate to buy a house in Beijing." Duh? Where is it possible? Anywhere else, including the "land of milk and honey" across the Pacific, new graduates buying houses is unheard of. Until one saves enough money for a down payment, which may take several years, renting is common.

To that, my pessimistic students retort that even if they save enough for a down payment, they will become "slaves to a mortgage" for 30 years. Well, that's what the so-called "American dream" is about. Instead of putting the best years of our lives towards saving money to buy our own place, we go into debt and get a house so we can raise a family. We gradually become home owners, and many westerners are content with that.

Why do so many college graduates expect their life path to be covered with rose petals, and get disappointed when they realize it's not going to happen? I can venture a guess.

They finally have to be responsible, make a living and think for themselves. It sucks to be grown up, but whining is not going to make it any easier.