从沂蒙山区走出来的郭晓冬笑称自己是“著名的北漂”，在考上北京电影学院前，他曾经当了三四年的“北漂”，当过雕刻工人，养过虾，当过邮递员、歌手、主持人……本来过着与娱乐圈不搭边的生活，可是机遇巧合被朋友拉去一同报考北京电影学院，结果一试就给刷了下来了。此后郭晓冬继续“北漂”，时隔一年后他决定再给自己最后一次机会，于是第二次考试郭晓冬顺利过关，成为北京电影学院1996级表演系本科生。多年以后，电影《暖》的导演霍建起评价说：你当演员简直就是奇迹。

Come out from the yimeng mountain area of GuoXiaoDong smile said they were"Famous north drift",In the passed before the Beijing film academy,He had a three or four years"North drift",When a sculpture workers,Have a shrimp,The postman/singer/The host……Originally a entertainment and don't take side of life,But opportunities coincidence is friend to pull together to enter oneself for an examination the Beijing film academy,Results a try to brush off.Since then GuoXiaoDong to continue"North drift",After a year later he decided to give his last chance,So the second test GuoXiaoDong smoothly,As the Beijing film academy level 1996 undergraduate students performance.Years later,The movie[warm]Director HuoJianQi evaluation said:It is a wonder you as an actor.