By Chen Kuo-he, Alumnus of English Department,CEO of Jih Sun Collective

I entered the English Department of Tamkang University through the joint entrance examination. However, I did not content with this result because my grade used to be the top one of the whole elementary school, and I joined in Jianguo High School. Most of my classmates of senior high school entered National Taiwan University after the examination, except me, so that I studied in Tamkang University alone. I felt disappointed at myself and did not study earnestly in the first year of my university life. Nevertheless, after four years, I was proud of being bathed in the academic atmosphere and spirit of Tamkang University.

I had to commute from Taipei City to Tamsui and climb the Overcoming Difficulty Slope up to the campus every morning. Gradually, my physical strength became better than before and the former tiresome mental state was relaxed by the mountains and rivers. Moreover, one of my classmates in the elementary school, my first love, also entered in the same university, and she studied with me very often. Gradually, I came to love this university. Recently, as my oldest daughter (performing artist, Guan Ying) went to Tamkang and said to me “Dad, it is a beautiful place”, which makes me recall plenty of wonderful memory about this school.

Come to think of it, the four years in TKU was my most hardworking period in studying. It was impossible to cheat because of the “plum-blossom” seat arrangement—all the other four students around me were all from different classes, and the professors were very serious in flunking students. It was difficult to graduate from Tamkang; therefore, we had to enforce ourselves to study diligently. The integrated systems made me learn to confront the fact and react honestly. I will attribute the success to the zealous management of the President then.

I always bustled in school, so I did not participate in any club. However I liked to play guitar and formed a band with my classmates. We liked to play the songs by The Beatles, which was the vogue at that time. These are the enjoyable recollections of my university life. I audited some courses of international trade to pave the way for my future commercial direction.

After graduation, I have worked in many different jobs, including managing bag factory, capital assets, and rental. I had even administered a trade company in Japan. During the period of time in Japan, I was debilitated. For this reason, I came back Taiwan. I came into contact with money market around 1979. There are too many stories of frustration and hardship to tell. After undergoing so many experiences, what I want to share with all schoolmates is the spirit to brave all difficulties without avoidance and hesitation. Though there are lots of affairs you do not understand, you have to conquer them and learn. Don’t afraid of failure, which is the basis of success, as the proverb reads “Distance tells the stamina of a horse; time judges the heart of a person.”

I have started a trading enterprise for many years and encountered varied people. The attributes of Tamkang graduates is not so distinctive from other graduates, for every person contains his/her distinct qualities. No matter which school you study in, if only you cultivate the abilities, you will get to your target eventually. The diploma is just one of the references in job interview. I have met graduates of senior high school whose specialty is not worse than those of university. Some people who possess excellent diploma do not persevere in their work. Real job depends on real competence. The present college students tend to take the specialty that they learn in school into practice. I would suggest the students who just enter Tamkang University to take part-time jobs in summer and winter vacations, learning how to get along with others and acquire working experiences that will be helpful to the future career.( ~Chen Chi-szu )