When Chinese Students Pack Their Bags and Beat It!
What’s Up in Hong Kong?
Once the go‑to spot for bright minds, Hong Kong’s campuses have turned into nada‑way‑out‑for‑good zones. Courses cancel faster than a pop‑song goes viral, and the streets are buzzing with hot‑blooded protests. Mainlanders are feeling the heat and, truth be told, dropping boards in the name of their own safety.
Fleeing the Fire
- Night‑time battles – Students spotted hopping off campus after a campus turned into a “burn‑et” of petrol and tear gas.
- Real‑life danger – A viral clip of a student getting roughed up at HKUST has made everyone pinch nervous.
- Helpless “back‑to‑home?” – Many are whispering “no way, no way” (yes, they’re still hugging their luggage).
Concrete Stories
Take Frank – a 22‑year‑old grad. “The discrimination towards mainlanders is growing worse,” he says. “They’re so prejudiced towards us – and that’s not going to change, so why go back?” That’s the weight many feel when the campus feels like a “spider‑web” of hostilities.
From the Sky to the Street
Picture a 20‑something student leaning against a suitcase outside a Shenzhen restaurant – “It’s really just not safe any more and I don’t see it getting any better.” He’s not alone. A 22‑year‑old named Shuai posted on a hostel’s stair railing that he might come back “next week” if things calm down. But that feels like déjà vu: more than five months of outrage has means that possibility is a shot in the dark.
Quick Numbers (Just to Keep It Tidy)
| Number | What it means |
|---|---|
| 12,000 | Students living in HK (before the protests began) |
| 1,000 | Applications for 100 spaces at an unknown program |
What’s the Real Talk?
- Students whizzing to Shenzhen on police boats.
- Shenzhen Youth Community – showered with calls and giving spare rooms.
- Hong Kong Nanjing Youth Association – has helped about 100 mainland students get to Shenzhen.
- Free “insurance” for up to seven days at a nearby university.
Not All Are Ready to Quit
There are still glimmers of hope. Ms. Jane Chen, a City Uni business pro, says, “As long as I stay home during clashes and don’t violate laws and protest‑taboos… I will be safe.” She’s firm on taking a break “just to stay out of the way.” And she believes Hong Kong’s “spirit will get back together soon.”
Why Is This a Big Deal?
Because it’s also a signal about the future of higher education in the region. Hong Kong hosts universities in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education rankings. Those prestige levels are a magnet for bright mainland students. But the atmosphere is notoriously tough now: classes cancel, online learning grows, and anti‑China sentiment roars louder.
Why Some Professors Speak Softly
- A Hong Baptist Uni professor predicts a quarter drop in applications but warns the spots will still be filled.
- Nationalist media like the Global Times blames the protests for hurting the reputations of HKUST and even the University of Hong Kong.
Bottom Line
These are not just headlines but real, gut‑thumping stories of students scrambling to remain safe amid a thrust of volatility. Whether they stay, return, or simply find a different path, the next chapter for them, and for Hong Kong’s academic scene, will depend on more than just policy— it’s about people who dream, feel, and persevere through uncertainty.
