VietNamNet Bridge – When they fail to find congenial jobs, a lot of new university graduates kill time by continuing on to grad school at mom and dad’s expense.

After her graduation from the psychology faculty of the Hanoi National University, Tam spent several jobless months at home, doing nothing. Finally, Tam decided to sit for exams to qualify for the masters’ degree at the same school — though she already has learned that there are few jobs for psychology majors.

Many new university graduates decide like Tam to continue to study just because they don’t know what to do now and they don’t want to sit idle for a long time.

Phuong just graduated from the Hanoi Economics University, a famous school. Her marks were good. Even so, she alone among all her friends has not found a suitable job. Phuong felt ashamed to admit, meeting these friends, that she is still unemployed.

She’s solved her embarrassment by telling her friends that she will go back to school, this time to study foreign languages. Phuong’s going daily to an exam preparation centre so she can be ready for the next round of university entrance exams. It’s hard work; she has to review subjects she’s forgotten in her quest for the economics diploma. Phuong is the oldest student at the exam preparation centre.

Ngoc, a new graduate of Hanoi’s Thang Long University, has also decided to continue studying. It’s part of her marriage strategy. Ngoc and her boyfriend of five years have planned to marry once Ngoc finished university and landed a job. She is determined not to depend on a husband’s support. Sadly, however, Ngoc hasn’t found work. “I don’t want my husband’s parents to think that I am a sponger,” Ngoc says. I will tell them that I want to keep studying to get a higher degree, not because I cannot get a job.”

The blind alley

What Tam, Phuong and Ngoc have in common is that they can’t say what purpose further study serves. All they know is that they have a dread of difficulty and hardship. They decide to keep studying so they can continue to enjoy their parents’ continued support. In a few more years, with more diplomas in hand, it’s very possible they will once again face the same dilemma.

Hong Hoa, a graduate of Hanoi University, failed to get the jobs she applied for. Rather than take work she didn’t want, Hoa decided to go back to university last year. It’s not because she enjoys grad school. She signs in at lecture halls every day but aims only to get at least ‘fives’ on her exams, the minimum passing mark.

Coddled since childhood, Nam, 22, still finds it hard to take responsibility for his life. He seems incapable of earning money to feed himself. An allowance from his parents every month covers all his needs, from breakfast to shopping.

When he graduated, Nam didn’t lift a finger, instead counting on his parents to arrange a government job for him. They soon tired of seeing Nam sleeping the day away at home, and have pushed him to take classes in French. In fact, Nam quite enjoys going to French class, where he can talk with beautiful girls while waiting for that government job to come to him.

Getting good jobs is the dream of all university graduates. However, the university degree alone won’t guarantee that students fulfill that dream. They still need some patience and courage

VietNamNet/VnMedia