Gaokao candidates experience range of emotions

Teachers encourage students as they enter an exam site at No 1 Middle School in Baokang county, Xiangyang, Hubei province, on July 7. (YANG TAO / XINHUA)

Huang Yuting, a 12th-grade student in Wuhan, Hubei province, one of the cities hardest-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in China, said it not only reduced her to tears and despair, but firmly tested her resolve.

The 17-year-old took the national college entrance exam, or gaokao, with 53,000 other students in Wuhan on July 7 and 8. Due to the pandemic, the exam had been postponed for a month to give candidates more time to prepare.

I noticed my father had a lot more gray hairs when I finally met him after more than two months

Ju Jing, 18-year-old student in Wuhan, Hubei province

However, the coronavirus outbreak not only changed the schedule for the gaokao, which this year was taken by more than 10.71 million students, but also affected the lives of candidates and their parents in many respects.

In late January, Huang was diagnosed with novel coronavirus pneumonia as she was preparing for the exam, which has a significant bearing on students' career paths.

In February, a picture of her reviewing course work at a makeshift hospital, which was set up for those who tested positive for the virus but did not show severe symptoms, went viral on social media platforms.

Huang was pictured wearing a face mask as she studied from a bed. Many people were touched by her calm approach and determination not to give up.

"I enjoyed preparing for the exam. I've put in the effort and achieved something in return," Huang said.

She added that staying in the hospital made her think about the future.

Huang has always wanted to be a teacher, as she considers education to be a perfect career for a woman. However, she said she thought about becoming a doctor after witnessing medical workers save lives during the pandemic.

"But I'll have to abandon this dream, because I majored in art in high school. I still aim to be a teacher, as it will feel good to help students," she said.

Recalling the time she spent in hospital, Huang said she misses it but has no desire to return.

"I have mixed feelings. I liked how people got along with one another. It was easy and fun. I met different people, made many friends and understood how diversified society can be. What I won't miss is testing positive for the virus after being treated," she said.

After spending about four days at the hospital, she thought she had fully recovered, but her test result was positive.

"I was about to collapse in a remote area of the hospital. However, Pan Tong, a police officer working for the Dongxi Lake Public Security Bureau in Wuhan, comforted me. We became good friends, and the moment I tested negative, I shared my result with him."

Huang said she preferred not to phone her parents while she was in hospital. "It was not because I didn't miss them, but I was worried I would burst into tears if I heard their voices," she said.

Although most of her friends and classmates at Wuhan No 39 High School kept in close touch with her, she heard that some parents had told their children to stay away from her.

"That saddened me, but I didn't take it seriously. Most people treated me well, and it was fun that many of my classmates mentioned me in their essays for the exam," she said.

Huang said she plans to get a driver's license, take a part-time job and lose weight during the summer break.

Students receive gift bags from teachers at Donghu High School in Yichang, Hubei, on July 6. The bags contained a face mask, greetings card and bottle of disinfectant. (ZHANG GUORONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Online classes

Miradil, a 19-year-old studying at Donghu Middle School in Wuhan, said he wants to stay in the city after graduating from college.

He comes from Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and has lived in Wuhan since September 2016.

"There are 38 students in my class and I am the only non-local," he said. "I took online classes by myself when all the schools in the city were closed during the outbreak.

"The playground was off-limits because teachers were afraid that some students might need hospital treatment if they injured themselves while exercising. I checked my temperature three times a day and maintained social distancing while having lunch at a cafeteria."

Miradil said he was occasionally unable to concentrate on his books, as too much time was allocated for self-study. In March, he sometimes forgot to eat as he focused on doing more homework.

"My physics teacher Bai Longhai visited me every day. He bought me bread and milk, and we played basketball," he said.

Miradil said his parents are not unduly worried about him staying in Wuhan. The journey to his hometown takes more than 40 hours by train and bus.

"They were anxious about the virus at first, but they know I can take care of myself. I phoned about twice a week to reassure them and tell them funny stories about my life. I also encouraged my young brother to attend college in a big city."

Miradil said he wants to major in computer sciences and software engineering at college and hopes to be admitted to Wuhan University of Technology.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Wuhan and Hubei province will become stronger," he said.

Reduced to tears

Unlike Miradil, who is independent and used to studying alone, Munira, 19, who also comes from Kashgar, said she cried a lot when she first arrived in Wuhan to study.

"As an only child, I always had my parents around me and was not used to living with classmates, but the school protected us well during the outbreak and helped us lead a normal life," she said.

Munira got up at 5:50 am to study Chinese, English and biology before doing her homework and taking tests. She went to bed at about midnight. Sometimes, when she felt stressed, she watched online videos, listened to music and phoned her parents.

"I miss them a lot and want to go home. They always cheer me up and encourage me. I became interested in psychology when I watched a Hong Kong television series in the 10th grade and want to take the subject at college," she said.

"I want to work for a university in Wuhan or Urumqi when I graduate."

A boy hugs his mother after completing the gaokao in Wuhan on July 8. (CHEN XUEZI / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Parents comforted

Ramila Ruztohti, who comes from Hotan prefecture, Xinjiang, said many of her relatives cried and were worried about her when they heard about the outbreak in Wuhan in January.

"I'm the youngest child in my family. I often got in touch with my elder sister and brother when I felt stressed. I comforted my parents and other relatives while chatting online, telling them that my middle school was taking very good care of me," she said.

Born in 2000, the young woman said she wants to become an English-language teacher when she graduates. In summer last year, she taught Mandarin to farmers in her hometown, describing this as a "meaningful achievement" in her life.

"I'm an outgoing girl who loves to communicate. Teaching English can help others converse with more people in the world. I'll return home when I graduate. Although life in other provinces and regions is good, I prefer to go home to help make it a better place," she said.

Parental advice

Wu Caiwei, a student from Wuhan, said she is learning cookery as she wants to make meals for her parents.

"I got up at 6:20 am every day for a year. My parents didn't pressure me to get high scores in the gaokao. Instead, they told me to take it easy. I appreciate this and want to thank them," she said.

"My father is a designer and my mother runs an online shop selling maternity clothing and accessories. They were able to stay home with me during the outbreak and always took good care of me."

Wu said she will pursue a postgraduate degree in Wuhan.

"When I was a little girl, I wanted to explore the outside world, believing it would be exciting. But now, after witnessing how united Hubei became during the pandemic, I love my hometown more than ever and want to stay here for college and for work."

Students enter an examination site in Wuhan, Hubei. (ZHOU GUOQIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Poetry recitals

Zhang Yunpeng, a student at Fruit Lake Senior High School in Wuhan, stayed home for more than four months to prepare for the gaokao. He got up at 7 am, recited ancient Chinese poetry in the morning, took online classes in the afternoon and did math, physics and chemistry tests until 11 pm.

"My parents and I were worried when the city was locked down," the 19-year-old said. "We were not allowed to go outside and had trouble buying food, but life gradually improved. My parents took all the pressure and created a safe environment for me."

Zhang said he wants to major in astronomy, biology or chemistry, and become a college teacher. He is learning to play the drums again for the first time since studying in the 10th grade.

"I hope that we can stop having to wear face masks as soon as possible, and that more people will be eating Wuhan's famed hot dry noodles at small streetside restaurants," he said.

Family reunited

Ju Jing, 18, said she was excited to see people back on the streets of Wuhan after the 76-day lockdown was lifted on April 8.

"Before the pandemic, it was hard to imagine that just seeing people walking on the streets would be so thrilling. After all, I hadn't seen anyone other than my parents for more than two months."

During the lockdown, in addition to preparing for the gaokao, Ju bought groceries on the internet and phoned her father every day.

On the day Wuhan was locked down, her father went to decorate an apartment in a different area of the city. However, he was unable to return home after public transportation services were suspended.

The three-member family was finally reunited in April.

"I noticed my father had a lot more gray hairs when I finally met him after more than two months. My best childhood memory is of him taking me to his factory and buying me bread in the canteen. His colleagues took turns to hold me," Ju said.

"I will stay in Wuhan to be with my parents," she added.

Zhou Lihua in Wuhan contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at liukun@chinadaily.com.cn