Nine vocational colleges in China run by the Fan Mei Education Group are encouraging their students to “fall in love” during their weeklong spring break in April. The schools hope to promote a love of nature, life, and romance, with the theme “enjoy the blossoms, go fall in love.” 

The participating colleges are all vocational schools for jobs in the aviation industry, such as pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and airport security staff.

The announcement comes amid a push in China to bolster the country’s rapidly declining birth and marriage rates. Local companies, provinces, and townships have been experimenting with ways to encourage people to tie the knot, like offering 30 days of “marriage leave” or launching campaigns asking city women to date rural older bachelors.

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While students are still assigned homework, their tasks are focused on personal growth, such as writing travel diaries, making handicrafts, or filming videos of their travels.

The Fan Mei Education Group hopes that the weeklong spring break will provide students and teachers with a “concentrated” time to rest. The colleges’ announcements have gone viral on Weibo, with Sichuan Southwest Aviation Vocational College’s notice receiving nearly 130 million views in the two days after it was posted. Many social media users have expressed their support for the efforts to encourage love and personal growth among students.

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In conclusion, the Fan Mei Education Group’s decision to encourage students to “fall in love” during their spring break is part of a broader push in China to boost the country’s declining birth and marriage rates. 

While the schools’ efforts have gone viral on social media, their underlying goal is to promote personal growth and give students and teachers a concentrated time to rest.