A graduation photo by a student from Peking University has become an Internet sensation after she posted it online.
A graduation photo all her own. Xue Yifan is the only student in the Paleontology program at the Yuanpei School of Peking University. Which is why her graduation photo was simply a picture of her.
After she posted the picture online, some netizens joked that she is the best and worst student in her class, and she can’t skip any classes.
"This is not true. The program is not just for me. I took classes with students from the School of Biological Sciences and Department of Geology. And I also have room mates," she said.
According to Lu Xiaodong, deputy chief of the Yuanpei School, the Paleontology program has had only student in each grade since it began in 2008.
Some grades may not even have a student if no one applies for it.
As part of the reforms in Peking University, the paleontology program was the first inter disciplinary program that the Yuanpei School of Peking University set up.
Xue’s tutor explains why so few students apply to study paleontology.
"The subject is very dull and tough. Students have to have great interest in what they learn. They also have to endure loneliness," said Peking University professor Jiang Dayong.
Even though the subject is very unpopular among college students, it has bright employment prospects.
Students studying paleontology or related subjects like geology have high employment rates and high pay after graduation, according to the latest Chinese college graduate employment reports.
And for students taking this year’s college entrance exam, they will choose majors after the exam results come out by next Thursday.
Experts suggest before choosing what to learn in college, students should be clear why they are making their choice. It doesn’t matter if they make a choice for a career or just because they like a subject very much