Low income college graduates are like ants - intelligent and gregarious, weak in power but strong in spirit.

23-year-old Gao Qi, a fresh law graduate from a Tianjin-based college, will have a cold winter this year. His 40-square-meter apartment, which he co-rents with his four friends, has no heat.

"We decided not to use heating this year to save living costs", he said. "We can endure the cold because we are young and strong. And we only stay at the apartment at night."

The optimistic young man from central China's Henan province has landed a job in a security company after a number of setbacks. His job is to persuade clients to buy stocks with his company.

"My company promised me a salary of 2,000 per month but I only get 800 yuan per month now", he said, "but I will not give it up at the moment because I can meet a lot of people and gain experience with this job".

Gao is one of thousands of low-income college graduates in Tianjin who stay in big cities to pursue their dreams-- a demographic one sociologist likens to ants.

University of International Business and Economics associate professor Lian Si, who has surveyed and interviewed the group for two years, calls this demographic "the ant tribe".

"They're a lot like ants - intelligent and gregarious, weak in power but strong in spirit," he explains.

Lian says most residents are aged between 22 and 29, have degrees from nondescript universities or junior colleges and earn less than 2,000 yuan ($293) a month.

Statistics from Lian's surveys show 80 percent of residents come from rural areas or small counties and towns. Back home, they are the pride of their families. Despite the material hardships they endure in big cities, they aren't willing to leave.

Gao believes he will have a bright future as a law graduate.

"US president Obama also majored in law. Law graduates will have good jobs as China will be a developed country", he said.

Xiao Ding, a girl who has been working in Tianjin for over two years since graduation, is also an "ant" struggling for a better life.

"I did not go home during last years' Spring Festival and I lied to my mom that I had to work during the festival", Ding said. The real reason was she could not afford the travel fees to go home.

The girl chose to stay in Tianjin despite her hard life here because she believes there are more opportunities here.

"Tianjin's Binhai New Area, a state-level strategic development area, will offer graduates golden opportunities like Shenzhen and Shanghai's Pudong area," she said.

Bai Hongguang, a sociology professor with Nankai University, said he can understand the graduates' choice.

"What kind of job can they do if the graduates such as international business and finance majors go back to their homes in small counties and towns?" he said. The professor urges government agencies to provide low-price apartments for the low income graduates.

By Guo Changdong