江苏留学网

Students and teachers at China Pharmaceutical University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province read the military-themed comic strips together. The works were created by first-year student Li Mengxian. [Photo/jsenews.com.cn]

For many college freshmen in China, the compulsory two weeks of military training at the start of term is little more than an inconvenience. But for Li Mengxian, the experience was transformational. 

The student at China Pharmaceutical University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province not only loved every minute of being a cadet, she was inspired to create a series of comic strips to help her remember her time in the army.

Li tried to capture all the fun memories from her training into the comic strips, with each scene—from standing to attention and marching on parade to having heart-to-heart chats with her classmates—accompanied by various humorous stories. 

She even named each comic strip after popular Chinese TV dramas such as Spring Rain, Spring Breeze and All Inferior to You. 

Li said she wanted to remember the happy and tough experiences that she had during her military training.

“As one who grew up in a military family, the training has helped me realize my dream,” she said. 

The comics were a big hit with her classmates, and especially with her training officer, Li Zixiang. 

Mengxian gave Zixiang a copy of her work, and the officer said that he was touched by the gesture. 

“I have established connections with my students at every military training course I have done,” he said. “Though I’ve received some small but warm-hearted gifts from students before, the comic strips are the most precious and meaningful gift I have ever had.”