Shenzhen, Seriously... You're Suffocating Me.

[Orville Conroy]

Oh my, my experience in Shenzhen for the past few days has left me feeling like all I want is to "escape" all the time! The fast-paced lifestyle of this big city is something I really struggle to keep up with.

Sometimes when I feel suffocated, I start reflecting:

• Are people in Shenzhen really living in such a hasty way?
  • Watching dramas at a minimum speed of 1.5x?
  • Moving like a gust of wind while walking and riding bikes as if it is a race.
  • While crossing the road, they would certainly not jaywalk when the traffic light turns red, but when the green light is on, do not expect anyone walking leisurely.

The city of Shenzhen is indeed thriving:

• The fluent Mandarin spoken by the young people here makes things quite convenient for foreign friends.
• Can you imagine it? At 11 PM at night, the streets actually begin to get busy with vehicles!
  • A heads up for foreign friends: Shenzhen is a "city that never sleeps"; many activities and rush hours may occur later than you might expect.
• It's still lights out in office buildings deep into the night as workers are probably racing against time to complete their tasks.
  • A cultural insight: In China's major metropolitan areas, highly competitive environments can result in a common culture of overtime work (sometimes jokingly referred to as "involution"), which is especially prevalent in technology and economic centers like Shenzhen.
• People shoulder-to-shoulder in the railway stations, especially immediately following long holidays such as the Chinese New Year, where they rush back quickly to their offices.
  • Travel Notice!
    • To avoid crowded situations, try not to travel during China's major legal holidays, such as Chinese New Year and National Day, especially right before and after the holiday period.
    • During these times, the train station, airport, and scenic spots become extremely crowded; it is best to book your tickets early!

Even though I'm only a visitor, I feel exhausted.
#"Shenzhen is really not suitable for me" #"Even coming here for a vacation feels unsatisfying" #"Shenzhen" #"The pressure is quite overwhelming" #"Shenzhen, a city with tremendous pressure" #"The pace of life in Shenzhen feels suffocating" #"Eager to escape the fast-paced life of Shenzhen"

[Leticia Ritchie]

If it doesn't suit you, just pick another city. Honestly, Shenzhen isn't the place for you if you're looking to 'lie flat' (take it easy) or if you're sensitive to pressure and struggle to find your balance. In Shenzhen, you either thrive on ambition and hard work, or you need a strong mindset to carve out your own pace. If you're neither of these and also highly sensitive, then yeah, Shenzhen probably isn't a good fit.

[Mattie Lockman]

Did you even read the whole thing? I'm just a tourist; I don't have that kind of deep connection or sentimentality you're talking about.

[Ms. Alberta Moen]

Coming back to Shenzhen feels pretty good. Working is tiring, sure, but there's also a lot more freedom here compared to my hometown or smaller cities.

[Morris Schneider]

In that case, smaller cities are definitely more laid-back and comfortable.

[Dana Sanford]

Did you really think Shenzhen was a place for you to come and just enjoy yourself?

[Nathan Dickinson-Steuber]

I was just passing through and decided to take a look around, that's all.

[Shawna Keebler-Satterfield]

Seriously, it's terrifying! I didn't even feel things were this fast-paced in Singapore. Here, if you're even slightly slow, people will 'tsk tsk' at you.