Gap Period Practices and Identity Formation of Chinese Exam Preparation Youth from a Life Course Perspective

In China, the rising unemployment rate, job instability, and increasing social risks have prompted many young graduates to enter a "gap period." During this time, they engage in full-time exam preparation for postgraduate or civil service exams to enhance their academic qualifications and improve career prospects. From a life course perspective, time is not a natural phenomenon but a socially constructed institution, shaped by everyday life time, biographical time, and generational time. This study aims to explore how Chinese youth experience and construct their temporal realities during this gap period, focusing on the intersection of personal identity and social pressures.

Based on three months of participatory observation and 23 in-depth interviews conducted in exam preparation boarding institutions in Qingdao, Shandong, this ethnographic research reveals how youth reshape their identities within a liminal space between studenthood and social adulthood. The study found that while these young individuals have left school, they have not fully transitioned into the workforce, creating a “transitional” identity as they navigate between societal expectations and personal aspirations. The temporal structures of the gap period—characterized by intensive study, delayed entry into the labor market, and prolonged dependency on family support—reflect broader societal pressures and the strategic choices of youth facing precarious futures.

This research contributes to understanding the complex psychological and social processes that shape the lives of youth during this critical period, offering empirical insights for policies aimed at supporting young people’s personal development, social integration, and the management of temporal experiences within contemporary Chinese society.