(Ecns.cn)--As a junior in college, Chou Zhongpeng looks even quieter than many of his counterparts in the country, but as "crazy" as anyone who plays hooky.
To make it more dramatic, Chou highlights his behavior by creating a website, Itaok.com (literally I cut classes), with ideas about and services on how to "more carefully and smartly" duck out of class in college.
So far, the website has drawn 1,418 college students who have shared their worries and offer imaginative opinions about cutting classes. One thing they have in common for sure is that they surf on the internet while cutting classes.
"Don't take this wrong. I have no intention of encouraging people to play hooky, only how to play it wisely. There are so many things other than classes that are worth the time," Chou told bandao.cn last month.
Both Chou and his website are a snapshot of an unspeakable university headache—a great number of college students are ducking out of class.
Skipping class, a new trend
A recent survey covering five universities in the country's coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong Province indicated that more than 69% of college students have cut classes. Among them, 8% regularly play hooky, said the local news website bandao.cn.
Among the students who took the poll, 32% believed "it doesn't matter if I attend the class, the point is to get the credit after every semester," while 69% complained that teachers lack a sense of humor in class and give the lecture "too much by the book." Twenty percent of those who skip classes expect more interaction in the class between the teacher and the students.
"It's an open secret in college that we cut classes now and then," an anonymous junior told the media.
Skip for a reason
To cope with the situation, many policies have been introduced in class. A surprise test, for example, is a frequent method, while taking attendance is the most efficient one. However, when it comes to the courses that have more than one hundred students, these policies lose efficacy as students can easily cover their absences.
It's not difficult to figure out that temptations outside the classroom are plenty. The survey reveals that quite a few students are stuck playing online games, shopping, or working part-time jobs—none of which sounds convincing enough to justify the squandering of their college years.
"I think the lack of innovation in class might help to explain the trend of cutting classes," said Professor Yan, one of the most popular teachers in Qingdao University whose classes are usually overcrowded.
