Students study to prepare for the national college entrance exams due early next month, at Lianyungang High School in Lianyungang, a port city in East China's Jiangsu province, May 18, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

A TALENTED sports student surnamed Huang from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, was injured in an accident recently. The doctor advised the 18-year-old student to not do strenuous exercises any more to avoid being afflicted with palsy. But Huang's thought of quitting sports was rejected by her mom because she wants to get her daughter admitted to an elite university as universities preferentially enroll students who excel in sports. People.cn commented on Tuesday:

With higher education transitioning from elite education to mass education, many high school students can now study in universities. But students graduating from universities that are considered elite because of their faculties and the resources they possess have a big advantage in the job market and also get more social respect.

However, forcing a seriously injured girl to get back to training is not only about forcing her to suffer physical pain, but also about inflicting mental harm on her.

There is always some reason behind seemingly unreasonable acts. Huang's parents are from the countryside and have spent all their hard earned money on their daughter's education, because she is the family's only hope for a better future.

Parental love and care can appear merciless in families that do not possess material wealth. Children in such families have to depend on hard work and dedication to "succeed" in life. And the thought of "I can only rely on myself" is both a powerful force and a heavy pressure on such children.