This generation of workers is starting to extend their weekends by renting cars.

Written by | Guobaoyou

Cover image source | Still from Go Where the Wind Blows

The "Trapped" Weekends

How eager are contemporary office workers for holidays?

Just take a look at social media. The "work four days, rest three days" attendance system of some ideal companies has frequently made it onto the hot search lists. Various peripherals for office workers expressing their longing for freedom have become best - sellers. Even "waiting for holidays" has been rated as one of the four major expectations in the lives of office workers...

Why is it so difficult for young people to have a free holiday of their own? Even the seemingly easily - accessible weekends are almost becoming a "luxury".

At the beginning of this year, 26 - year - old Yang Yang gave up her life as a Beijing drifter and decided to return to her hometown, a second - tier city, to develop. After interviewing with several companies, Yang Yang found that not only were there no jobs that offered high pay, less work, and were close to home in her hometown, but it was also very difficult to find a job with weekends off. "Here, it's like a crime to pay the five social insurances and one housing fund, and having weekends off is a sin against heaven," Yang Yang said. Eventually, Yang Yang reluctantly joined a startup company as an administrative staff, with a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan and a rotating schedule of large and small weeks. Although she often just lounged around and scrolled through her phone at work on Saturdays and there wasn't much work to do, as long as she was sitting in the company, Yang Yang felt that her rest time was being mercilessly stolen.

To "recover her energy", Yang Yang "stayed" in bed at home every Sunday. Even when her friends invited her to check out a newly opened internet - famous restaurant, she had no interest. "I get up at eleven o'clock in the morning, cook and do some housework, and before I know it, it's already dark. Where do I have the energy to go out?"

Some netizens have even calculated that in one year, office workers with a rotating schedule of large and small weeks work 26 more days than those with weekends off. If calculated over a 40 - year working period, office workers with a rotating schedule of large and small weeks work a full 1,040 more days than those with weekends off, which is equivalent to working four more years. Looking at these heart - wrenching numbers, netizens wailed on social media, "Don't easily accept an offer with a rotating schedule of large and small weeks!!!"

Still from Hospital Playlist 2

It's not just Yang Yang. Cindy, a freelancer often envied by friends for having "free time", actually also has a hard time because she doesn't have weekends.

As a service provider on the client - side, Cindy has to communicate with clients on her own, handle operations, write plans, and come up with copywriting. "She's like a one - person team," but that's not the worst part. "What's even more uncomfortable is that you have to be online 24/7," The client's message is the highest order, and replying instantly is the most basic professional requirement.

Especially when going out with friends on weekends, Cindy's three essential items are not powder compacts, lipsticks, and wet wipes, but a computer, a power bank, and a computer charger. She doesn't even dare to think about traveling. She's afraid that the beautiful scenery and her mood will be spoiled by all kinds of trivial work. "Office workers don't have the freedom of weekends, and freelancers don't even have freedom."

Why does the relationship between office workers and weekends seem more and more like a walled city? The "Post - 90s Research Institute" once released a "Report on Office Workers' Weekend Outings in 2024". The data shows that based on eight weekend days per month, young people go out an average of 3.4 days per month. Of course, office workers long for weekends and hope to make the most of them, squeezing out every bit of their value, but they also "fear" weekends.

On social media, some people say that they have developed "weekend anxiety" after starting work. They always feel that if they go to work without doing something on the weekend, it's a waste of the holiday. Clearly, when they were in school, they were happy just lying at home or wandering aimlessly on weekends. But after starting work, they feel that nowhere is fun. "Even though I don't have to go to work until Monday, why do I start to feel anxious on Sunday afternoon?"

"Freedom" in the Car

Office workers' weekends are not only "kidnapped" by work but also trapped in long - distance commutes.

Last year, Xin Xin's good friend, a girl who was also a Beijing drifter, came to Beijing to develop. At first, both of them looked forward to meeting each other every month and spending weekends together. However, reality slapped them in the face. Xin Xin lives in Chaoyang, and her friend lives in Haidian. It takes at least an hour and a half to meet each other once. As a result, the frequency of their meetings has dropped from once a month to once every six months. On weekends, when scrolling through the Moments and seeing colleagues and friends going camping and having barbecues in the suburbs of Beijing, Xin Xin could only shy away from the dozens of kilometers on the map and thought, "If only I had a car."

Owning a car means that one's activity radius can be directly expanded from around the subway to the suburbs or even outside the province. It means that one no longer has to adjust the itinerary according to the last bus time. It means having a personal space to shelter from the wind and rain on windy and rainy days. It means having a temporary KTV and private cinema to relieve boredom during traffic jams. It also means having a place to take a nap without being disturbed by outsiders when one is sleepy...

Of course, for young people who want to "spend money on the most important things", it's not that easy to buy a car.

After all, the cost of a car is quite high. Cars within the budget always have some drawbacks - either high fuel consumption, poor power, or a low - quality driving experience. However, the cars that one takes a fancy to at first sight are always out of reach due to the high price. Moreover, one has to do a lot of research before buying a car. Should one buy a gasoline car or an electric car? Should one buy it when there are new product promotions or wait for the year - end price cuts? Should one wait for the new generation to come out or buy it earlier to enjoy it? It takes months to make a decision.

So, some young people have discovered a new continent - car rental has become a cost - effective option to drive their dream cars earlier.

At the beginning of this year, Xin Xin and her friend both got their driver's licenses. Every weekend when neither of them had to work overtime, they started to think about renting a car and going somewhere. Sometimes they drove from Chaoyang to Daxing to feed the monkeys at the Beijing Wild Animal Park, and sometimes they drove along Chang'an Avenue to Mentougou to watch the sunrise on the mountain. Even when they suddenly got the urge to drive, they could rent a car at any time and go for a drive while singing.

Monkeys at the zoo photographed by Xin Xin

After being recommended several beautiful camping sites, Cindy also rented a car with her friends on a less busy day to check them out. They filled the trunk with snacks, barbecue grills, photo - taking equipment, tables, and camping chairs. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, they barbecued, chatted, and even played cards... At that moment, the fatigue from work disappeared. Cindy finally understood what her friend meant by "camping is either zero times or countless times".

Cindy renting a car for camping

Young people are starting to explore the boundaries of the city and expand the boundaries of their lives through car rental. Some people specifically rent cars on weekends to take their children on a trip to the surrounding areas or to have a short - distance trip with their partners. They truly implement the slogan "So close, so beautiful, go to Hebei on weekends" and find that dating in another city seems more interesting. Others rent a car on weekends to escape the city, drive to the countryside or an island, see the natural scenery that they can't see on weekdays, and taste the local cuisine and small restaurants that haven't been hyped up on social media, experiencing a different pace of life...

The rotating wheels bring young people not only the satisfaction of reaching the destination but also the ability to regain control of their life rhythm and the initiative of their weekends. And car rental makes this "temporary escape" more and more accessible.

Take Back the Weekends

If you want to have a spontaneous and short - term escape on the weekend by renting a car, just having the impulse is not enough. A good car and a reliable car - rental platform are also crucial.

After all, the pitfalls on the car - rental journey may be more numerous than the potholes on the driving journey.

How many young people were confused before even starting their first car - rental experience when facing a wide variety of platforms, car models, and rental plans? They found that doing research for a car rental required more effort than planning a trip. Not to mention that some platforms have very few return points, and one has to travel a long distance to pick up and return the car, wasting precious weekend time.

Therefore, the first step for a "free weekend trip" may be to choose a reliable and worry - free car - rental platform. As a car - rental platform with transparent fees and guaranteed services, China Auto Rental's service covers hundreds of cities across the country, and cars can be picked up and returned at airports and high - speed railway stations. Naturally, it has become a reassuring choice for many car - renters.

This summer, China Auto Rental has also made a big move. Its cloud garage has launched over ten thousand new cars, with different car models precisely matching the needs of renters, giving a strong boost to the travel plans of office workers.

Want to travel light with low cost and set off without any burden? Economy cars and new energy vehicles are on standby at any time. Whether it's a college student who wants to have a dormitory team - building activity on the weekend or a newly - graduated office worker who wants to have a short - term escape from work, they can just step on the accelerator, leave their worries behind, and set off easily.

Desire high - quality travel and a comfortable riding experience? Business - class luxury B - segment cars are at your service. No longer having to worry about getting sore arms and legs due to an uncomfortable seat. Even when there is work to be done on the road, the back row can be transformed into a mobile office. A refined trip starts with a comfortable seat.

There are also powerful SUVs and 6 - or 7 - seat MPVs that can accommodate the whole family, which are perfect for situations where there are many people and a lot of equipment. Whether one wants to take parents and children, or all friends on a self - driving trip to the mountains and seas, or one is an equipment enthusiast who loves fishing and camping and wants to bring all the equipment for an immersive adventure, there is enough space and power.

Even when one wants to "try something new", popular models such as the SU7 Ultra, Wenjie, and Leopard 8 Drone Edition have also made their grand entrance. Whether one is a car enthusiast eager to experience new technologies or a bystander who is still hesitating about "whether to place an order", one can come and have a firsthand experience.

Currently, China Auto Rental has a fleet of over 160,000 cars, which can support every impulse of "setting off at once". Whether one suddenly wants to go to watch the sunrise on the weekend, or organizes a group to go on a spree in the suburbs or neighboring provinces, or suddenly wants to rent a car for a self - driving trip in a popular tourist city, there's no need to worry about the embarrassment and disappointment of "having no car to drive".

As more and more office workers start to bid farewell to "lazy weekends" with actions, China Auto Rental provides not only a means of transportation but also a key to unlock free weekends.

Perhaps this is what an ideal weekend should be like - choose a car one likes, step on the accelerator, and leave behind KPIs and meetings. Without being restricted by distance or time, drive to the destination, escape the high - pressure work state, and regain the relaxation that life should have. And China Auto Rental is also on this "journey of taking back the weekends", helping every young person regain control of the steering wheel of life.

How do you usually spend your weekends?

Will you rent a car to spend your weekends?