At Nanjing University in China, students call strangers as part of a popular course to build confidence
A Classroom Challenge That Starts With an Unfamiliar Phone Call
Indiadailyupdate.com – Students at Nanjing University are being pushed to practise a skill that many people now avoid: speaking to someone they do not know. In a popular course designed to strengthen confidence and communication, participants must phone a stranger and conduct an interview.
The assignment is part of Oral Expression, a course introduced in 2015 by Xu Kai, a former television producer and director. Based at the university in Jiangsu province in eastern China, the class has become one of its most popular public courses.
For some students, the task is more intimidating than it may sound. Unknown calls are often associated with scams, sales pitches or unwanted messages, making many recipients reluctant to answer. Yet the exercise is intended to help students develop the ability to initiate conversations, listen carefully and respond with empathy.
Finding Someone Willing to Talk
Students are expected to reach a person they do not already know and speak with them by phone. Some have tried to make the task easier by asking relatives or friends to pose as strangers. Others have posted online in search of volunteers prepared to take part in a short interview.
A student known online as Connie first used social media to look for someone willing to talk. When that approach did not provide a solution, she began calling random Nanjing phone numbers. Several people suspected that the call might be fraudulent, but she eventually connected with another student who agreed to answer her questions.
Hong Yiming faced similar difficulties. He placed more than 30 calls and received answers from only five people. Three ended the conversation immediately, while another caller believed he might be involved in a scam. The fifth person agreed to continue with the interview.
The conversation became more wide-ranging than a simple classroom exercise. The interviewee, who works in the IT sector, spoke with Hong about career planning, ways to spend free time in Nanjing and life with two cats.
A Lesson in Speaking and Listening
The mixed reactions to the assignment have revealed how challenging direct communication can feel for students accustomed to messaging and online interaction. Some have withdrawn from the course because of the requirement, while others who completed it have encouraged Xu to retain the exercise.
“It is never easy to express yourself, and students should learn to appreciate other people’s help,” he said.
Xu sees the assignment as more than an attempt to make students more outgoing. A successful conversation requires a caller to introduce themselves clearly, explain why they are calling, respect the other person’s time and pay attention to what the interviewee shares. Rejection is also part of the experience, especially when a person is understandably cautious about unknown numbers.
That caution has made the task harder in recent years. With public concern about fraudulent calls and unsolicited contact, many people choose not to answer numbers they do not recognise. For students, this creates a practical lesson in persistence while also reminding them that strangers are not obligated to participate.
Moving Beyond “Do More, Speak Less”
Xu has argued that a traditional preference for modesty and quiet effort can leave people less prepared to express themselves in social and professional settings. The idea of doing more while saying less may encourage focus, he believes, but it can also restrict the development of interpersonal skills.
Many young people in China describe themselves as introverted or say they experience “social phobia.” Xu’s view is that some may not lack the ability to communicate; instead, they may have had too few chances to practise it in low-stakes situations.
Connie’s own experience reflects that concern. She remembered enjoying self-expression in primary school, but said that speaking up later came to be viewed as a form of showing off. As the pressure surrounding the gaokao, China’s national college entrance examination, grew stronger, she noticed classmates becoming more reserved.
The course seeks to create opportunities that academic routines may not always provide. Alongside phone interviews, Xu uses activities that explore communication through body language. These exercises encourage students to consider not only what they say, but how their posture, tone and attention affect an exchange.
Why the Assignment Has Resonated
The popularity of Oral Expression suggests that many students see value in practising communication deliberately. A short call with an unfamiliar person can require preparation, courage and flexibility. It can also show students that meaningful conversation may emerge from an initially awkward introduction.
The assignment does not guarantee an easy interaction. Some calls will go unanswered, and some recipients will decline. But those outcomes are part of the lesson: communicating well involves accepting another person’s boundaries as much as making oneself heard.
Over the years, Xu’s work has received recognition within the university. His honours include “My Favourite Teacher” and “Teacher of Charisma,” reflecting the response to a class that asks students to step beyond familiar social circles and find their voices.
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