Thirty five college students got a taste of real life after accepting the challenge to find temporary low-paid jobs starting with a budget of five yuan ($0.78), China Youth Daily reported Tuesday.

The undergraduates, from Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University in Xinxiang, Henan province, were divided into seven groups and sent to search for any work opportunities in Luoyang's commercial district to pay their subsistence expenses from June 29 to July 1.

They tried temporary jobs such as promoters, waiters, and masseuses, but didn't find the exercise easy.

Zhang Fengjuan tried more than 10 shops before she got a temporary job at a shoes shop. Zhang Yamei searched two streets and found a job distributing handouts. Almost each participants changed jobs everyday.

The students shared their experiences after their participation in the survival challenge.

"It's tiring and dull to work, but I feel happy when I make money using my hands," said Zhang Ling.

"I really realized that it's hard to earn money," said Zhan Erbiao, "I need to develop my professional skills and learn more communication skills."

Xu Hongzhi, the leader of the group, said the purpose of the activity is to offer undergraduates a guide to living in society, communicating with people and learning professional skills that will create a good foundation for job hunting in the future.

Students in each group earned hundreds of yuan after the activity.