Do you really need more WeChat groups in your life? Of course, you do! They are the best resource for getting all your Beijing lifestyle info as well as authentic feedback about restaurants and places you’re considering checking out, lest you get catfished by some flashy photos on Dianping.
But you got to stay organized. Rather than join loosely controlled general interest free-for-all groups that fill your life with distracting messages and spam, you need to find those groups that cater to your specific fields of interest.
By joining niche groups and dumping the broadly defined ones, you’re then freed from the drudgery of wading through hundreds of messages you don’t care about every day.
We here at jingkids can vouch for the groups below – some are even moderated by our own team and we do our best to keep them spam- and clutter-free. Others are moderated by members of the expat community who dedicate so much of their time and effort to creating small digital communities that help make all of our lives that much better.
Before we jump into the list of groups, however, here is some WeChat group etiquette.
Mute the Group: We recommend you mute notifications for any group larger than a dozen or so, otherwise you are going to be inundated with messages.
Read the Group Rules First. Before you start posting what you think is relevant to the group, read the rules. It’s basic courtesy.
Participate, Don’t Carpet Bomb. Lurkers who don’t have anything to say but still find the group worthwhile are welcome, however, don’t be one of those people who never bothers to read the thread and proceeds to drop posts well after the group has covered the topic 10 times over.
Consider the Group Size. Remember that in a group of hundreds of people, the vast majority are silent but appreciate the community and don’t wait to wade through idle chatter to find the meat. Thus, extended back and forth conversations between two users (A: “Really?” B: “Yes” A: “No, you mean it?” B. “Yes I do.” A: “Is that so?”) is not useful. Every post should add value somewhere.
To join groups moderated by True Run Media (Jingkids’ parent company) scan the QR code below to add the TBJ Butler and tell him which groups you’d like to join.
Foodie Groups
Beijing Burger Lovers: Burgers and nothing more
Beijing Pizza Lovers: All about ‘Za in The Jing
Beijing Spicy Food Lovers: Restaurant recommendations, recipes, and more for pepper heads
Cheap Eats in Beijing: Recommendations for restaurants/eats that cost less than RMB 50 per person
New Restaurants in Beijing: Tips and reviews for places that opened within the last few months
Beijing Caffeine Addicts: For those that love coffee in Beijing
Family Groups
Beijing Family-Friendly Eats: Tips for where the kids would love to eat
Beijing Dads Group: For Beijing dads (and their various concerns)
Kid & Family Events in Beijing: Family-friendly events only
Chaoyang Parkers: Group for those who want to set up playdates for their kids around Chaoyang Park
Family Events Only jingkids: A strict family-friendly events only group.
Jingkids Parenting in Beijing: General interest discussion group for parents in Beijing
Assorted Other Stuff
Mandarin Learners: For those attempting to increase their fluency, from beginners to advanced
WeChat Tips & Tricks: All about the inner workings of the app that controls our lives
Just Jokes: Silly stuff to help you de-stress!
Only Stickers: Just WeChat stickers. Nothing more.
Peking Pups & Other Pets: A group for pet owners to exchange resources, and cute pet pics of course
Sanlitun Stuff: All about the heart of Beijing’s dining, nightlife, and shopping scenes
Beijing Olympics 2022: Focused on news and information about the upcoming Olympic Games
Beijing Explorers: A group for those who are interested in urban exploration
Beijing Entrepreneurs: A group for budding and established entrepreneurs to share resources
Jobs for International Educators: Employment listings for K-12 education jobs only around China
International Educators in China: A mostly Beijing-based group for general discussion about issues related to K-12 education, from a teacher/administrator perspective
Students in Beijing: A group for university students in Beijing
Beijing Pollution Fighters: Information, tips, and tricks about protecting yourself against air pollution, water pollution, etc.
Lifelong Learning in Beijing: A group dedicated to lifelong learning and adult education opportunities in Beijing.
Groups NOT managed by True Run Media
Activities for Kids BJ: Group for sharing tips and reviews on places to take kids to. To join: Add Camkon
Beijing Expat Network: A free-for-all of info related to Beijing (and sometimes not). To join: Add jnjmama
Bumps2Babes: Group for parents where they can find support, develop friendships, and ask family-related questions. B2B has multiple subgroups based on the age of your child. Please let the admin know how old your child is when joining. To join: Add Rachel_Hanrahan
Homeschooling BJ Discussion: Exactly what the name says. This is a group about homeschool resources. To join: Add CharleneYNg
Beijing Parenting and Beyond: Group for all things parenting-related and Beijing-related, as well as general knowledge and info about life here. To join: Add Shareehebert
SENIA-Beijing: Group for educators and parents relating to information on special needs education in Beijing. To join: DCW-Gerald
Sweet Cravings Beijing: For those who love desserts! To join: Add Camkon
KEEP READING: 22 Things That Beijing Expats Are Wishing for in 2022
Images: Pexels
