Amid grim outlook for jobs, Chinese graduates' shots are taking a wildly creative approach infused with a touch of nihilism ( nitter.net )

Instead of the classic hat-throwing, flower-holding, and joyful smiles, Chinese students opted for defeated poses (with many literally just ‘laying flat’), apocalyptic backgrounds, or purely sarcastic shots where they are seen throwing their graduation thesis.

The steep departure from a ‘picture-perfect’ narrative surrounding graduation hints at a rising disbelief in education as the pathway to success and perhaps a more relaxed attitude towards academic achievements as a whole.

With youth unemployment hitting a record 20.4% in April 2023, fresh graduates in China are increasingly opting for civil servant jobs, seen as more stable compared to the uncertainty of the convoluted domestic job market.