While in the army, he continued to publish poems and essays, met a wide variety of people, and got his fingers on the pulse of society. He also began thinking about going back to school, and tested into the history department of National Chung Hsing University.
當兵期間持續發表詩作和散文，軍旅生活也讓他接觸到人生百態與社會脈動，他開始思索重回校園，退伍後考入中興大學歷史系。