He added that when he joined the army, he considered himself an introverted student who had negative opinions of everything.

"I knew if I kept thinking that way, I would not be able to fit into society after graduation," he recalled. "But at that time, I didn't know how to adjust. When I saw the recruitment notice, I wondered if the army might help me. It turned out to be true."

Chen served in Guigang, a city in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, for two years, as a clerk who also was in charge of guarding the weapons.

Chen had the highest education in his division, which always drove him to be the best on a team.

Even during the hardest physical conditioning days - when soldiers were told to run at least five kilometres under a time limit every day - Chen never thought of giving up.

"Everyone had high expectations of me," he said. "I couldn't let them down. Once I got through it, I found my legs longing for the 5-kilometre run. I was the best on the physical conditioning test."

In 2003, Chen returned to Shenzhen University and continued his economics studies. He was awarded 50,000 yuan (US$6,250), and his tuition was waived for the next two years.

He returned a more confident person. "When I saw my old classmates, who were in their final year on campus, I was more mature than they were."

Chen graduated this summer, and the military experience on his resume helped him stand out for many job interviews. At a time when college graduates often get the cold shoulder in the job market, his time in the army made a difference.

Shenzhen University, which hired him, favours graduates who served in the army.

Working as an administrative employee in the College of Economics, Chen is often asked by his students about his experience in the army.

"I told them: 'You have to think thoroughly before making any decision because there's no turning back,'" Chen said.

"But I can guarantee the experience in the army will teach you things you won't learn in school."

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