Parents subsidize students' social lives with 'dating funds' in Wuhan

In addition to allowances for living expenses, there is a growing trend among parents of college students in Wuhan to provide their college aged sons and daughters with extra money to help them find a significant other.

Yang Lin, a sophomore in Wuhan, told the reporter that he talked about his girlfriend to his parents casually during summer vacation. Later, when he prepared to go back to school the next semester, his parents gave him money both for his living costs and a "dating fund."

Yang was reminded that his cousin was not able to date on campus and he failed to have even one date until he was 27 because his major was very technical and as a result did not have very many girls there. Yang thought his parents were probably worried about him as his cousin had set a bad example.

According to Yang, his is not an unusual case. Many boys in his college receive a so-called "dating fund" from parents.

Tang Qiang, one of Yang Lin's roommates, said, "I was born in rural area. As a result, my family is not rich. I didn't want to accept this fund from my parents, but they insisted on doing this. Meanwhile, they always told me that I should be generous with money to my girlfriend and it's better to buy some presents to her on holidays or her birthday."

"There are more and more ‘bachelors' and ‘spinsters' nowadays. Given that my son is in a science and technology major, it means he will rarely have the chance to know females in social life in the future. We hope he can find the right person in the university to avoid being a bachelor," Yang Lin's father said.

According to a survey, some companies' policies against office romances are also a main cause for parents' "dating fund." Many girls can also get the fund from parents.

Peng Lu, a psychological counselor in a college in Hubei, considers that dating is acceptable on campus. However, this kind of fund is debatable. These students are experiencing love rather than money after all. In addition, they are adults and they absolutely have the ability to support themselves by taking part-time jobs.

By Wang Qianyuanxue, People's Daily Online