Young Chinese people apply "KPIs" (Key Performance Indicators) to their love lives.

To save time and avoid complicated relationships, students at top universities in China are turning to exclusive campus dating apps. Here, love isn't just about chance; it also guarantees cultural and academic compatibility.

Finding a romantic partner using... a 50-question survey.

Wang Ni Ni, a 24-year-old PhD student in Shanghai, used to hate online dating. For her, spending hours looking at profile pictures to find her "other half" felt too vague, uncertain, and a waste of time.

Things changed when she tried signing up for an app called SJTU Date. This platform was completely different from typical dating apps, as it was exclusively for students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where she was studying. Instead of choosing each other based on appearance, SJTU Date users had to answer a detailed questionnaire of about 50 questions. Regarding all aspects of her life, from bedtime to future goals, the system surprised Ni Ni with its results: the engineering boyfriend it chose for her had an "unbelievably accurate" compatibility. They found common ground in both emotions and life perspectives from the very first day they met.

Ni Ni's story is becoming a trend among young people in China. Many similar in-person dating apps are booming at the country's top universities. These are seen as a safe "filter" helping busy students find a suitable partner without the hassles and scams of social media.

A homepage of a dating app used by Chinese students.

Risk prevention shield

From the perspective of sociologists, this trend reflects the reality that academic pressure and the fierce job market are draining students' time. They no longer have the energy to participate in social activities or take risks in romantic relationships.

Therefore, students at prestigious universities, especially female students, are becoming increasingly cautious when entering into relationships. The biggest appeal of college dating apps is their effectiveness. By limiting potential partners to those in the same school, young people create a safe filter, ensuring that potential partners share similar intellectual backgrounds and cultural levels.

According to Master Du Shichao of Fudan University, young people today view dating someone with a significant difference in educational background or economic circumstances as a risky choice. Prioritizing finding someone with similar backgrounds is a way for them to protect themselves from social changes.

Survey data from the MyCOS Education Data Research Institute in Beijing also confirms this pressure. Specifically, over 70% of students reported facing family expectations of marriage. However, they are very concerned about conflicts in life views and career aspirations with their future partners. Therefore, pairing up with a classmate with similar goals is seen as the shortest and most stable path to a secure marriage.

However, applying pragmatic thinking to the world of emotions also leaves room for reflection. Love, which is supposed to be a space of natural feelings and understanding, is now inadvertently being molded into a meticulously calculated plan. This seemingly safe path is unwittingly depriving young people of the opportunity to experience, be tolerant of, and grow from each other's differences.

Many experts worry that the "screen first, date later" trend could diminish young people's patience in real life. When technology takes over the most difficult task of pre-selecting a compatible partner from a profile, young people will find it harder to accept real-life conflicts. Even a small disagreement, instead of engaging in dialogue to understand each other, can easily lead to discouragement, blaming algorithmic bias, and quickly giving up to wait for another option.

A couple on their way to the university library in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Photo: VCG

This reality is more pitiable than blameworthy, because the pressure of making a living and fierce competition have forced the younger generation to view everything through a technological lens. This idealistic perspective sometimes has to be supplemented by practical criteria such as educational qualifications, the reputation of the field of study, or earning potential.

Speaking about this hidden aspect, Master Du Shichao lamented: "When young people are forced to manage their lives with a market-oriented mindset, romantic emotions that belong to the inner world are easily swept away by the cycle of weighing and measuring."

"Extra classes" bring happiness.

Despite the debates about the downsides of technology, for those involved, these applications are still fulfilling their mission: connecting lonely souls within the "cocoons" of knowledge.

Wang Shiqi, a 20-year-old third-year student at Zhejiang University, found her true love through the MatchUs app. Her boyfriend is an engineering student, a field with a very low number of female students, and the chances of meeting in person are almost zero without the intervention of technology. Their relationship has lasted over a year, filled with afternoons spent together at the library and dates on campus.

For Thi Ky, balancing a demanding academic schedule with maintaining a serious relationship required considerable effort. She likened college romance to "registering for an extra course" on her timetable.

"But this subject makes me very happy. It gives me a fixed schedule every day, and makes me feel like every day I wake up with something new, a source of spiritual support to look forward to," Thi Ky expressed.

Technology can create a safe "platform," an effective filter to save time, but ultimately, the lasting happiness of a marriage or a relationship doesn't lie in KPIs on paper, but in mutual tolerance and overcoming the rough edges of real life.

Source: sixthtone.com

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/trung-quoc-khi-gioi-tre-ap-chi-so-kpi-vao-tinh-yeu-238260518161449195.htm