Embracing life beyond academia

Heng Min, a senior student majoring in journalism at the China University of Labor Relations, is among those who have chosen to forgo pursuing a postgraduate degree.

However, like many young students, she remains uncertain and anxious about her future. The 23-year-old aspires to join a mainstream media outlet as an editor or reporter upon graduation. Regarding this career goal, she acknowledges the significance of higher academic certificates.

"There are too many journalism graduates, and academic qualifications serve as a threshold for employers. My undergraduate degree is from a second-tier university, which doesn't give me an advantage," she said.

Heng did attempt to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam, though. But instead of applying for a master's in journalism, she decided to cross over into English studies, which was even more challenging. In October last year, she began preparing for the exam, but after a few months, she realized the vast disparity between her ideals and reality.

"It was incredibly exhausting and difficult. I also discovered that pursuing a postgraduate degree is a very narrow path. Some of my peers preparing for the exam once said, 'If I don't pass, I'll have no future.' I sensed their fear, and I didn't want to face such a predicament," she said.

Heng decided to shift her focus from exam to finding a job. To enhance her work experience, she pursued several internships and continuously sent out job applications, yet she has not received an ideal offer.