When a few extra minutes of studying can make or break your future, something as trivial as cafeteria seating plays a role.
As a welcome back gift for students this semester, officials at Suixian High School, located in Henan province, removed the benches of every table in the school cafeteria. As the students piled into the cafeteria, they soon realized sitting down was no longer an option. The reason behind the changes? According to one student, eating while standing makes you eat faster, so that you can return to your studies.
When one student was asked why aren’t there any benches, he responded by saying, “I don’t know. I’ve heard people saying they want us to study like Hengshui High School,” referring to one of China’s most elite schools. Hengshui, in Heibei, is well known for their brutal schedule, where students study from 5.30am-10pm every day in order to achieve high scores on the gaokao.
Students exercising with their textbooks at Hengshui High School. Image via WIkimedia
People from all over the country weighed in on the topic, discussing their ‘glory’ days of school–life balance (or lack thereof). Surprisingly, many people recall not having benches in their cafeterias when they were in school. One Weibo user wrote, “When I was in high school, standing while eating was seen as normal,” downplaying the latest bench clearing. While another person had a novel idea, saying, “I propose the school officials and teachers should also have the chairs in their offices removed, do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.”
This is a classic example of how serious schools take the gaokao. Hopefully the new changes pan out for the students at Suixian high school.
QUIZ: Could You Pass the Gaokao
[Cover: image screengrab via Pear video/Weibo]
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