When Du Yongbo, 23, entered Beijing Jiaotong University graduate school, he could see a difference between himself and his local peers in terms of their consumption capacities and life attitudes. However, he was lucky compared to other newcomers from small towns. The difference could have been more obvious if he had not spent his undergraduate years doing extra learning.
Growing up in Baoding, Hebei. Du was enrolled in a little-known institution in Hebei after high school.
"Knowing that I would be stuck in this place for the next four years, I felt like I was chained down," he said.
Determined to change his situation, Du made use of everything he could find on campus, starting with the technology lab. Here he got to know talented members of the senior class and joined them in their innovative experiments and technology competitions. Du learned a lot more than he could ever have by sitting in class.
But Du didn't just hide away in the lab all day long. He kept himself busy by working with all kinds of student societies, such as the Speech and Eloquence(雄辩)Association and the Drama Club.
"I used to be a little self-isolating, but student club experiences gave me new hobbies and the ability to manage tough people and issues," he said.
Internet was a great helper too. Du once planned to study user interface design at a training center. But he was taken aback upon hearing the training fee—70,000 yuan. Fortunately, a friend instructed him to buy a similar course on Taobao for a much lower price. That was when Du learned about the abundance of resources online. He was eager to know more, studying online educational resources and listening to podcasts(播客).
Now that he has made his way to Beijing, Du says that all his efforts have paid off and that he has gotten the chance to stretch his legs on a bigger platform.
