‘All study, no social life’: Mother in China complains high-achieving daughter with PhD just reads and won’t find a man


By Liya Su

A PhD graduate is trending on mainland social media after her mother complained that she disliked social activities and buried herself in books.

In a viral video, the woman’s mother, from Zhejiang province in eastern China, said she is worried that her daughter, shown at her desk, head bent over her books, will never meet a man to marry.

“It’s time to go to bed, stop studying and go to sleep as soon as you can,” the mother said in the video.

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The woman smiled and raised her head to look at her mother, but didn’t reply.

After finishing her PhD in Canada, the woman returned to China to teach at a university and spends her free time at home reading, says her worried mother. Photo: Weibo

The mother said her daughter worked as a teacher at a local university after finishing her PhD studies in Canada.

She said she felt her daughter was perfect and was proud of her achievements.

However, she worried her daughter did not spend time with friends or meet new people, preferring to stay at home and read.

“She only likes to study and has no social life,” the mother said.

Mainland social media has been captivated by the story, with more than 8.7 million views and 3,600 comments at the time of writing. Many people said they supported the woman’s daughter in choosing the life she wanted.

One person commented: “To people like this woman, working and studying are the biggest joys in life.”

The woman’s mother says she never spends time with friends having fun and meeting new people. Photo: Shutterstock

Another person asked: “Why does it worry her mother? Her smart and pretty daughter will definitely attract people of the same bent to be friends with.”

A few people agreed with the mother, arguing that everyone needed a social life.

One person said: “To have the ability to socialise is significant for everyone.”

Another added: “If she does not meet new people, how could she meet the right man to fall in love with?”

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