{"id":317,"date":"2025-04-24T18:34:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T18:34:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/haocheng-zhang.com\/?page_id=317"},"modified":"2025-05-17T02:02:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T02:02:24","slug":"gapa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/haocheng-zhang.com\/en\/gapa","title":{"rendered":"Gapa"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Gapa<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A pause-for-growth app designed for young people \u2014 helping you decompress and reclaim your own rhythm during life\u2019s \u201cGap\u201d time.<\/p>\n

October 2023\uff5cShanghai \u00b7 China<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Introduction\uff5c<\/strong><\/h3>
\u00a0 \u00a0 In today\u2019s fast-paced and high-pressure society, young people struggle not only to balance work and life but also to acknowledge the right to pause. The Gapa project focuses on the shame and pressure surrounding the concept of a \"Gap\" period in the Chinese context, aiming to dismantle the negative stigma associated with it.<\/h5>
\u00a0 \u00a0 Through a structured and supportive platform, I hope to empower individuals with the agency to choose, express, and rebuild during their in-between moments\u2014transforming pause from a symbol of failure into a vital opportunity for adjustment and growth.<\/h5>
\u00a0 \u00a0 A gap is not an escape\u2014it is the courage to reflect, reorganize, and begin again.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDesign Key Words\uff5c<\/strong>Service Design \/ Emotional Rhythm Awareness \/ Emotional Tracking \/ Self-Care \/ Life Planning Support \/ Challenging Social Norms \/ Narrative Redesign \/ Cultural Reflection \/ Planned Pause<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Project Background\uff5c<\/strong><\/h3>

Cultural Differences between Chinese and Western Societies\uff5c<\/strong><\/h4>
\u00a0 \u00a0 In Western societies, a Gap Year<\/em> is widely recognized<\/strong> as a legitimate phase of personal development\u2014an opportunity for self-exploration, social engagement, or emotional recovery. In contrast, within the Chinese context, \u201cgap\u201d is often misinterpreted as laziness, avoidance, or a sign of falling behind. There is little social tolerance<\/strong> for intentional pauses, and individuals often lack the structural or emotional support<\/strong> to navigate such in-between periods.<\/h5>

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Social Observation\uff5c<\/strong><\/h4>
\u00a0 \u00a0 As illustrated, the life trajectory for most young people in China follows a highly linear structure<\/strong>: Gaokao \u2192 University \u2192 Employment \u2192 Marriage. Any deviation from this track\u2014such as taking a gap\u2014can easily be seen as a sign of laziness or failure, leading to immense psychological and social pressure.<\/h5>
\u00a0 \u00a0 In the Chinese context, the word \u201cgap\u201d is often associated with idleness, burnout, or stagnation. Even when individuals genuinely long for a break, many are hesitant to express it or act on it. As several interviewees noted: \u201cResting makes me feel guilty\u201d<\/em> and \u201cI can’t explain to my parents why I\u2019m not working.\u201d<\/em><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Internet\u00a0 Meme\uff5c<\/strong><\/h4>
\u00a0 \u00a0 Buzzwords like \u201cGap Day\u201d<\/em> and \u201cGap Hour\u201d<\/em> are trending across Chinese social media platforms. While they may appear lively on the surface, they reflect a deeper absence\u2014the reality that a true, extended gap is still socially unacceptable<\/strong>, forcing people to seek comfort<\/strong> in micro, fragmented moments of rest.<\/h5>
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ironically, even those who do choose to take a gap often feel pressured to turn it into a performative lifestyle<\/em><\/strong>\u2014constantly posting updates, curated content, and check-ins to stay visible on social media. As a result, their so-called break becomes more exhausting than their actual workdays.<\/h5>
This phenomenon is both a critique and a signal of the times: a growing awareness that pausing is not indulgence\u2014it\u2019s increasingly essential, yet structurally unsupported.<\/strong><\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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User Research\uff5c<\/strong><\/h3>
\u00a0 \u00a0 This project conducted user research through two primary methods, focusing on participants\u2019 perceptions of \u201cgap,\u201d behavioral patterns, and emotional fluctuations during transitional periods.<\/h5>
\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/strong>In-depth Interviews<\/strong>: One-on-one, open-ended interviews were conducted with five individuals from diverse professional and life backgrounds. These conversations explored their current life states, work-related challenges, emotional struggles, and both real and imagined understandings of what it means to take a \u201cgap.\u201d<\/h5>
\u00a0 \u00a0 Emotional Diary Tracking: <\/strong>All five participants took part in a one-week \u201cemotional tracking\u201d exercise. Using a combination of visual entries and mood line graphs, they recorded daily shifts in emotional states\u2014capturing exhaustion, anxiety, burnout, and moments of relief in a visualized format.<\/h5>

\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Note:<\/strong>\u00a0To protect participants’ privacy, no real personal photos are shown on this site. Instead, we focus on presenting key interview quotes and insight summaries.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Common Challenges Identified\uff1a<\/h5>