Zhang Yeju, a law student at China University of Political Science and Law was greeted by another student on his way to class. The problem was Zhang, 19, did not know the guy at all.
19岁的张宇杰（音译）就读于中国政法大学，在去上课的路上，有位同学跟他打招呼。可问题是，他根本不知道他是谁。

While they talked about the weather Zhang tried hard to recall the stranger’s name before the duo enter the same classroom.

当他们谈论天气时，张宇杰试图在两人走进教室之前回忆起这位陌生同学的名字。

"I felt a bit embarrassed when I chatted with him without knowing his name," said Zhang.

“当我们聊天而又不知道他名字的时候，我觉得有点尴尬。”张宇杰说。

According to Zhang this was not the first time he’s had a "stranger encounter" on campus.

张宇杰说在学校里这已不是他第一次邂逅“最熟悉的陌生人”了。

There are 60 people in his class, but Zhang knows the names of fewer than 30 of them after a year of study.

他所在的班里一共60人，但在度过一年的学习生活后，张宇杰认识的还不到30人。

According to a recent survey conducted by MyCOS HR Digital Information Co, a consulting firm on higher education, about 40 percent of students in university admitted that they have problems with interpersonal relationships.

高等教育咨询机构——麦可思人力资源数据公司的一项最新调查显示，约四成大学生承认自己的人际关系存在问题。

Zhang Jitao, associate professor of sociology at Hubei University, sees a new trend on campus: to have smaller circles of friends who are more diverse and unique.

湖北大学社会学副教授张继涛注意到一个校园新趋势：学生的朋友圈变小，而所交的朋友则更为多元而独特。

"Having your life revolve around a small group of friends might have a negative impact on one’s future career after school," said Zhang to Chutian Metropolitan Daily.

张继涛在接受《楚天都市报》采访时表示：“以狭小的交际圈为生活中心，这对学生毕业后的前途有负面影响。”

However, students seem not to worry about it at all.

然而，学生们对此似乎毫不担心。

Qin Yuanyuan, 20, a junior biology major at Guangxi University sees no need to expand his social circle when he has access to the Internet.

20岁的秦元元（音译）是广西大学生物学专业的一名大三学生，他认为如果可以上网的话，就没必要拓宽自己的社交圈。

"The Internet has developed so well that I can get nearly everything online. I don’t need to gain knowledge, get information or have fun with friends around. Instead, I can make friends online," said Qin.

“网络已十分发达，网上的东西几乎应有尽有。我不需要同身边的朋友们一起获取知识、信息或欢乐。我反而可以在网上交友。”秦元元说。

The more time students spent on the Internet, the less they paid attention to those around them, said Li Zixun, of the psychology department of Beijing-based China-Japan Friendship Hospital.

北京中日友好医院心理医生李子勋表示，学生们上网花费的时间越多，对身边人的关注就越少。

But Li considers it is not always a bad thing for students to live independently in campus.

但李子勋认为学生在学校里独立生活并不一定是件坏事。

"This generation does not rely on social contacts to make them feel secure. They can live independently without having any relationships. It is an advantage in cultivating diverse thoughts among young people," said Li.

“这代人不再依赖社交接触来获得安全感。他们不需要任何人际关系便能够独立生活。这对于培养年轻人的多样性思维是个优势。”李子勋说。

He Xiao, a freshman at Hubei University, agrees. He thinks as long as one enjoys friendships and share similar interests and attitudes, it is not necessary to have a wide range of acquaintances.

对此，湖北大学大一新生何晓（音译）表示赞同。他认为只要你可以和朋友一同感受友情，分享共同的爱好和态度，没必要广泛交友。

"For me, having several friends to play basketball with and have midnight snacks with are enough. I think the most important thing is that you can have fun," said the 19-year-old computer science major.

作为一名计算机专业学生，19岁的何晓说：“对于我来说，只要有三五好友同我一起打球，一起吃宵夜就足够了。我觉得最重要的是高兴就好。”

According to psychologist Li Zixun from Beijing, heavy pressure on students is fueling the estrangement on campus.

来自北京的心理学家李子勋表示，学生身上的繁重压力使得校园里人际关系日益疏远。

"When young people spend so much time and energy studying, it is common to pay less attention to others," said Li. "Socializing also requires time and energy."

“当年轻人将大量时间和精力花在学习上时，通常都会减少对他人的关注。”李子勋说，“社交活动也需要花费时间和精力。”