"Marriage-upon-graduation" is becoming increasingly popular among young people in China today. Post-80s youth (those born after 1980), are especially embracing this trend, along with that of "having a family before starting a career."
A study by Yinchuan AES Business Data Statistics Advisory showed that 23.5% of those surveyed married right after graduation, or planned to do so soon after.
Reporters found that reasons for marrying upon graduation varied. Some chose to marry earlier in order to pave the way for career development; some wanted to find a partner to who they could depend upon to "fight for their bright future together"; and some married purely for love, as they cherished the relationship they had formed during college.
"For lovers, the most romantic thing is just being together," said Yi Xiaofang in Sichuan Province, who married her classmate less than half a year after they graduated from university.
However, in reality, life is harsh. Due to China's "one-child policy," adopted in the early 1970s, most post-80s youth are single children and, therefore, grew up babied by their parents and grandparents. Without a job, the young couples are constantly financially strained.
"Getting married before having a job means the couple needs to rely on their parents financially. It's a very big problem," said marriage and family research specialist Zhao Yanzhen of the All-China Women's Federation in an interview with China Daily.
Yi also said that though they may find a stable job after getting married, working in a new environment and with new colleagues will always take time to adapt to, which may unavoidably result in ignoring family responsibilities.
"Financial pressures are the main threat to marriage. As the saying goes "life is hard for couples in poverty," noted Yi, adding that "most young couples lack a sound economic base. When I got married, my husband and I were facing great pressures for rent and other expenses."
Nevertheless, "marriage-upon-graduation" is not good for nothing. "The pressure to form a family can also be turned into a motivating force for career development," said Ma Ping, who was once comforted by her husband when she could not find a job.
Just like "naked marriages"！marriage without a house, a car, a diamond ring or a fancy wedding ceremony！only a marriage certificate, "marriage-upon-graduation" is now being gradually accepted.
Yet, experts still suggest that graduates should not act rashly as the financial burden is usually heavy after marriage.
"Potential after-marriage problems should also be considered before tying the knot," said Xia Xueluan, professor at Peking University. "Failure of such marriages may exert a negative influence on both partners and even shake their courage to move on."
