Paying to avoid hassle could lead to less happiness

I didn't hire bridesmaids for my wedding, but when I learned about the trend of young couples doing so, I understood why.

It's like many situations when I don't want to make myself feel socially indebted to someone and instead pay for services, including errand services.

It seems that the fast pace of life has made young people too busy to interact with or make close friends that they can call on for help without acquiring too heavy an emotional burden.

Today, young adults are increasingly placing a higher emphasis on social boundaries. Their philosophy is: "I won't bother you, so please don't bother me."

A 2020 study led by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences revealed that 40.2 percent of the more than 4,000 respondents admitted to some degree of "social anxiety", while 52.7 percent felt they lacked social skills.

Social anxiety can affect relationships, daily routines and other activities due to the presence of fear, anxiety and avoidance.

Young people tend to shield themselves from unnecessary social interactions. They desire friendships without obligations and supportive family relationships without constraints.

In the digital age, young adults turn to online platforms for one-stop services, seeking assistance with everyday tasks such as moving house, package delivery, running errands and chauffeuring. There is a reduced reliance on traditional social networks and the emotional burden that comes with them.

I agree that more professions are being created as society develops and that we embark on different career tracks like high-speed trains. It is understandable and irreversible.

But we still need to experience something away from that track that leaves space for creativity and generates a passion for life.

Professional bridesmaids have become a trend because the role requires some etiquette to be followed to make the wedding process go smoothly. But I still hold a wait-and-see attitude.

I invited my best friend from college to be my bridesmaid. I was busy with chores and didn't realize how much effort the role involved. When she married later, I got some time off work and attended her wedding, not as a bridesmaid, but as a friend who accompanied her through the whole process.

I helped with organizing her wedding game. The groomsmen have to overcome challenges to gain entry to the bride's house to pick her up and take her to the ceremony, and the games are meant to make it harder for the groom to pick up the bride and alert him to the need to cherish her.

I felt the difficulty of being an event organizer deeply, because it was important the questions for the groom were not too hard or too easy. Everything needs to be just right.

Although I am not a professional wedding supervisor and might have ruined the game, I overcame the challenge, fostered intimacy with my friend and found an interest in the sense of ritual in daily life.

If it is not that hard to find an acquaintance to assist, individuals should maintain real-life social connections through seeking help and helping others with daily routines.

It may not be a burden for a friend to give a hand, and may instead enable them to experience other positions and tap into their creativity and passion for life.

While trouble can be avoided by paying for a service, some small happiness may also be missed.