Surviving Study Abroad
With recent crackdowns on foreign students in the US， the prospect of studying abroad is becoming increasingly fraught for Chinese students—but they are no strangers to uncertainty away from home， as these phrases show
当代留子生存语录
On May 27， the US halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students seeking to study in the country， reportedly to allow for expanded screening of their social media activity. This latest policy change has thrown yet another wrench into the already uncertain journey of international students as they transition into adulthood， with many—just around 20 years old—still navigating culture shock， language barriers， and academic pressure.
Since the late 19th century， Chinese students have pursued overseas studies， mainly in the US， Europe， and Japan. Many influential political leaders， scholars， and cultural figures studied abroad， shaping the course of modern Chinese history. In contemporary China， major waves of overseas study， particularly in the 1980s and 1990s， have made studying abroad a coveted path for the elite， adding prestige to the term 留学生 （liúxuéshēng， overseas student）.
The trend surged with China’s rapid economic growth in the 2000s and continues today. Despite a dip during the pandemic， China remains one of the largest sources of international students globally.
Today， studying abroad is no longer a rarity， and social media has exposed both the glamour and the grit of overseas life to a broader audience. Many Chinese students playfully refer to themselves as 留子 （liúzi）—a casual， colloquial spin on the formal term. Always on the move and full of surprises， they continue to create viral memes inspired by the twists and turns of their lives abroad.
Studying is a liuzi’s main focus. Papers， quizzes， essays， group projects， midterms， presentations， and finals come one after another without pause， chasing these hopeful students into a constant cycle：
If not trying to meet a deadline， then on the path toward meeting a deadline.
Búshì zài gǎn due， jiùshì zài gǎn due de lùshang.
不是在赶due，就是在赶due的路上。（剩余6196字）
