(Photo/People's Daily Online)
China's sky-high housing prices have become a major concern for university students as they plan their lives and careers. Many readily admit that unaffordable home prices cause them real anxiety.
"[I] agree that Beijing's housing prices are straining young people's creativity and quality of life. I have made up my mind that once I graduate, I will get out of Beijing," Wang Min, a student from Central University of Finance and Economics, told China Youth Daily.
Wang is similar to many college students in big cities: Though he has great ambition and talent, he frets about unaffordable housing and being forced to leave the place where he studied and lived. According to statistics from Tsinghua University, only 20.3 percent of its undergraduates chose to work in Beijing in 2016, compared to 30.7 percent in 2013.
"I have been studying in Shanghai for six years...I used to believe that if I worked hard, I could ultimately settle down here, but now I would prefer to go home to have an easier life," said Li Jiaming, a graduate student at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.
Still, there are many students who plan to stay in first-tier cities despite financial pressure, as big cities offer more job opportunities.
"I'm majoring in journalism. Currently, big media outlets are located mainly in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. These places are ideal for people in media to [develop their careers], so I hope to stay and work in Beijing after graduation," said Li Yuhui, a student at Tsinghua University.
