On November 24, corners of many historical sites and free scenic spots in Nanjing were visited by groups of university students taking photos with yellow tags; dozens of traffic police officers and sanitation workers in Nanjing received blessing cards and were asked to take group photos; nurses at several hospitals were given roses and asked for photos and smiles; the candied haws at Nanjing Forestry University sold out; the aroma of roast chicken from Nanjing Agricultural University wafted through the city; Qian, the manager of Pioneer Bookstore, was interrupted countless times; mobile service centers were repeatedly asked, “Can I top up my phone with just one yuan?”; an Alto car on the roadside suddenly had four beautiful girls rush up to pose next to it like car models.
A total of more than 2,200 university students formed 550 teams to participate in the “Urban Robinson” survival challenge organized by the Nanjing Walking Group. The content described at the beginning of this article is a snapshot of that day’s survival activity.
Surviving on just 20 yuan a day
This was an urban survival experience activity: participating teams competed by completing tasks on the day’s task sheet. All members of the participating teams were not allowed to use mobile phones, computers, bus cards, or any form of prepaid or credit cards for the day. Each person was given only 20 yuan in cash, and they had to complete various tasks on foot or using public transportation, living as “Robinson Crusoes” in the city for a day.
A reporter followed a team of four students from Nanjing Agricultural University through the entire process of the activity. Their team was named “Xiamafang No. 1.”
“We came specifically for these kinds of rules. I think it’s really interesting and challenging,” said Chi Hang, a team member, before setting off.
The activity started between 8 and 9 a.m., so the four students got up early, had breakfast, and headed straight to the assembly point—Gulou Square. There, over 30 volunteers from the Nanjing Walking Group and Hohai University’s “Fly Young Backpackers” checked for prohibited items such as mobile phones, which were sealed in black airtight bags. After placing their phones, extra money, and various cards into the bags, the four officially began their survival challenge.
“At first, 20 yuan seemed like a lot, but after we planned our route and calculated transportation costs, as well as the expenses for mission items like postcards and flowers, we were left with only 5 yuan per person for lunch,” said Xia Can, the team’s finance manager. As a result, the students only ate grilled corn and baked flatbread, even bargaining for those small items. Fortunately, they managed to save 4.5 yuan. Hoping for a pleasant surprise, they also bought a 5-yuan lottery ticket and luckily won 5 yuan—breaking even.
Borrowing 400 yuan for a group photo wasn’t too hard
Tasks included finding “non-famous” scenic spots, seeking out the most authentic and historic foods, and participating in charity activities. Each team had eight mandatory tasks, while others were optional. The number and quality of completed tasks determined their scores.
But as Pan Guorui, head of “Fly Young Backpackers,” said, “The score isn’t important. What matters is enjoying the process of the activity; otherwise, it’s meaningless.”
The mandatory tasks drawn by the team followed by the reporter were: finding the ruins of the Dabao’en Temple, a two-story wooden building in Bianying, borrowing 400 yuan from passersby to take a group photo, a male team member holding a child and giving him a string of candied haws, buying four strings of candied haws in the back street of Nanjing Forestry University and eating them by the Dafangding, giving roses to a nurse and taking a photo with her.
They initially thought borrowing 400 yuan for a group photo would be the hardest part, but to their surprise, there were many kind-hearted people. “It turns out there are really a lot of good people,” said Liu Tingting, a team member. When they explained they needed to borrow 100 yuan each for a photo, many were willing to help. Although some didn’t have 400 yuan on them, the combined assistance of several passersby helped them complete the task.
Taking a photo with a little girl turned out to be the most difficult thing during the activity. They all agreed, “Holding a child is really not easy,” sighed Wu Xingyuan, the only boy in the group. “The girl’s mom kept trying to persuade her, but the little girl absolutely refused to let me hold her for a photo. Do I really look like a creepy uncle?”
After failing to win her over with endless compliments, they had to compromise with the child, letting her stand on the ground, using toys to attract her attention, and gently placing a hand on her.
They finally managed to take a photo with a fairly normal expression from the little girl by using “forced perspective.”
Pan Guorui, head of the event organizer “Fly Young Backpackers,” said after the event, “Outdoor activities and travel are essential parts of university life and a healthy lifestyle. With the goal of making outdoor and travel culture more grassroots and accessible, and encouraging university students to engage with the outdoors and society, we organized this event. We hope that while having fun, students can gain something and feel joy, exchanging physical tiredness for inner happiness!”