Truong Thi Phuong Thanh, born in 2001 in Ninh Binh province, is a student in the K64 Psychology class at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. She describes herself as someone who enjoys exploring, asking questions, and finding answers. Her friends often consider her an encyclopedia; they turn to her for information or advice whenever needed.
Truong Thi Phuong Thanh - double valedictorian of Psychology major at VNU-USSH
Speaking to the Vietnamese Student section of Tien Phong newspaper, Phuong Thanh said she was very surprised and happy to become the valedictorian of her major. “I didn’t expect to have the highest GPA in the major. Just like when I took the university entrance exam four years ago, I didn’t think I would be the valedictorian of the D01 group at the school,” she said.
Phuong Thanh dreamed of pursuing a degree in Psychology since her middle school days. She found understanding the complexities of human mental and psychological issues to be challenging, so she wanted to test herself. Although her parents wanted her to choose an easier and more stable path, she was determined to apply and was accepted into her preferred program.
Having a passion for the field, thoroughly researching it, and identifying her desired major early on, she had already decided on her desired specialization, Management Psychology - Business, even before entering university. This remained unchanged until her final year when choosing her specialization, despite numerous suggestions for other fields such as Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology.
That clarity and consistency helped Phuong Thanh quickly find a suitable study method and easily achieve high scores. "The most important thing is that learning must be accompanied by purpose and goals. If you study aimlessly, just to pass the subject, or think that this knowledge won't be on the exam and therefore don't study it, it's very difficult to absorb the information," she affirmed.
Phuong Thanh at her university graduation thesis defense.
Phuong Thanh also believes that learning is, to some extent, linked to personal emotions. Positive emotions help her absorb knowledge more easily and learn faster. For general subjects, she tries to find interesting aspects of the course, for example, the image of a dedicated and energetic lecturer.
With long classes and a large amount of material, she often reviews the syllabus, summarizes the main points, and marks any questions she wants to ask before class. During class, she always tries to interact with the lecturer, taking notes on examples or content the lecturer highlights for the midterm and final exams.
With outstanding academic achievements, she received numerous academic achievement scholarships from the university, the Shinnyo Scholarship from Japan for all four years of her studies, and was awarded the "Outstanding Student" title at the university level for the 2019-2020 academic year. In addition, she actively participated in student scientific research activities and was a key member of the Humanities and Social Sciences Club.
Phuong Thanh participating in a student extracurricular activity.
Besides her studies, Phuong Thanh's student life was also filled with diverse work experiences in various types of businesses. She volunteered for a wildlife conservation organization, tutored, assisted at a soft skills training center, and worked as a customer service representative. She also served as an administrator for the "Instant Psychology" fan page, responsible for translating and writing articles to share useful psychological knowledge with the public.
She stated that she had two main reasons for starting work early. Firstly, she wanted to gain work experience, familiarize herself with the environment, and understand potential challenges. Secondly, due to her career aspirations to move south, she chose companies with offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to have more control over her work.
Thanks to this, she also learned many things outside of school, such as labor rights protection, office computer skills, and negotiation techniques. She also learned how to showcase the strengths of a Psychology student when the position she applied for wasn't directly related to her field of study.
Phuong Thanh volunteered at the ENV Nature Education Center to protect wildlife.
Phuong Thanh received the joyful news of becoming a double valedictorian and being honored at the graduation ceremony of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi in early August 2023, while she was more than 1000 km away from home. This was because she was currently working in Ho Chi Minh City. This was a plan she had been nurturing since before starting university, so after completing her studies and arranging the necessary procedures, she began her journey to the South.
"Even though I had done my research and prepared myself mentally, I couldn't avoid experiencing a bit of culture shock and environmental change when I moved here. Hanoi was scorching hot, but on my first day in Ho Chi Minh City, it was raining heavily, and the streets were flooded."
"The economy is in recession, so finding a suitable job is more difficult. Before coming here, I found online work while waiting for a full-time job, so it eased the pressure a little," Phuong Thanh confided.
According to her, a high GPA is a plus point in the job search process, especially for jobs that require quick thinking and good grasp of concepts. She believes that academic achievements, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and internships are all good tools to support the job application process if used skillfully. Students need to balance their time and effort between these activities, avoiding becoming so engrossed in studying that they neglect practical work or focusing solely on work that they lose sight of their studies.
Like many recent graduates, the 22-year-old woman also experiences constant worries and anxieties about the future. Nevertheless, she always believes in herself and is not afraid to take risks and face challenges in her new job in a foreign land. This spirit is thanks to the great encouragement and support from her family. Her parents and siblings always respect her decisions and are a solid foundation for her to focus on her studies and work.
Currently, Phuong Thanh is working in human resources and learning more about career counseling. She plans to gain more work experience before applying for a master's scholarship abroad.
Vietnam Student Newspaper: Double Valedictorian in Psychology: Cultivating Positive Emotions for Effective Knowledge Absorption
