Recently, on the freshmen registration day of Beijing University, the campus was filled with dads carrying mattresses on their shoulders, sparking a trending topic online. Some netizens joked that they also wanted the chance to carry mattresses to Peking University.
According to the report by the “Beijing News,” on the morning of August 18th, undergraduate freshmen from all over the country arrived at Peking University dragging their suitcases.
On campus, the new students and their parents carried luggage and backpacks, heading towards the dormitory area. What caught the most attention this year was a group of “dad’s carrying mattresses.” Mattresses are bulky, wrapped in transparent plastic bags or directly clamped under the arms, making them stand out in the crowd.
The mattresses carried by dads are mostly standard single mattresses, varying in size and thickness. Some were clearly old mattresses brought from home, wrapped in plastic bags, while others were newly purchased and still packaged.
In a video, a dad was seen carrying a mattress on his shoulder with one hand holding a storage box, while the mom held a small bag and the child walked alongside them towards the dormitory building.
The “Public News – People’s Daily” posted a video on Weibo stating, “Recently, Peking University welcomed freshmen registration day, and dads carrying mattresses for their children can be seen everywhere on campus.”
The “Sanxiang City News” also released a video from the scene.
According to the report by the “Yunsheng Jing,” on the freshmen registration day at Peking University, dads carrying mattresses were constantly passing by near the dormitory area. Some dads carried the mattress on their right shoulder while holding a suitcase with their left hand; others held the mattress upright against their chest, walking cautiously; some dads and moms lifted the mattress together, with the child leading the way.
Why mattresses? Because mattresses are the “first big thing” in the new students’ dormitory life. Not all dormitories come with mattresses pre-equipped.
It was reported that in 2026, Peking University admitted a total of 4686 undergraduate freshmen.