Chinese colleges have come up with an unusual way to help freshmen settle in. They turn their gyms into campsites for Moms and Dads, some of whom have traveled thousands of miles across the country, to say goodbye.
For the past five years, Tianjin University in northern China has provided free accommodation for parents in what it calls "tents of love". Other schools let parents sleep on mats in school gymnasiums.
"Going to college is a life moment and my parents didn't want to miss that, " said Zhang Jinqi, a freshman at Tianjin University majoring in applied chemistry. His parents traveled with him on the 19-hour train journey from Jiangxi Province in southern China.
Images of school gyms packed with parents have been widely shared on Chinese social media prompting a debate on whether China's only children are too coddled.
Some have voiced criticisms of Tianjin University, saying that they think both the parents and the children should be more independent.
Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of think-tank 21st Century Education Research Institute, thinks the problem is overstated. "It has always been a problem in China that at the start of every school year, colleges are packed with parents who come along to drop off their children and stay with them, " he said. "For some families, it's their way to celebrate the first-ever family member who's able to go to college, "Xiong added. "There's nothing wrong with sharing the happiness. "
Zhang's father said the decision to escort their son was a no-brainer. He and his wife are among the many "campers" who sleep in the 550 temporary tents set up in Tianjin University's gym.
"My child has lots of luggage and we also want to go traveling, " said his father Zhang Yonghui. "The hotels nearby are fully booked so I have to sleep in the tents. "
Their son alsoshrugged offthe criticisms although he said he was looking forward to living on his own for the first time. "Being accompanied by my parents doesn't mean I'm spoiled. "
