"Journey of Dreams"

23:14, on… day… month… year…

Thirty minutes ago, Mom called. We talked for 20 minutes; she only asked about my health and told a few short stories about my younger brother. Before hanging up, she just said, "It's late, go to bed early. I'm going to sleep now!" There seemed to be a hint of sadness in her voice. A month before deciding which university to apply to, my parents didn't put any pressure on me. But I knew what my family's wishes were for me. I knew what my parents expected of me. In the end, I still chose my passion.

After putting my phone away, I remembered what my mother said when I told her my chosen school: "Your parents will always support you!" Maybe I was being too selfish…!

Date…

Yesterday, my dad called to check on me, subtly reminding me to come home this weekend. I knew he wanted me to change my mind, so instead of trying to convince him, I sulked and told him I couldn't come home because I was busy with school. Three years of high school away from home, three years of living independently, I had given myself the right to decide everything, believing I was old enough to leave my parents.

My father called again, trying to persuade me: "If you pursue a career in tourism, you'll be away from home a lot, and you'll be all alone. You need to think carefully. Your parents will let you decide for yourself..." In the end, I still chose my passion.

Date…

The days spent waiting for university entrance exam results were incredibly frustrating, easily leading to irritability and annoyance. From the moment I finished all the exams, I was deeply disappointed, but I didn't show it. I was disappointed, but my parents were ten times more so: my performance wasn't what I had hoped for. I just hoped that luck would be on my side… In the end, I still chose my passion.

Date…

People who study for twelve years eventually reap the rewards, but I wasted all the effort, expectations, trust, and love of my parents. Shame – that was the first thing that came to mind, disappointment over a silly mistake. I chose my passion. In the end, I failed the university entrance exam.

The three words "failed to get into university" brought me down, a very painful fall. I was pinning my hopes on my second choice.

...

The last page of my diary was smudged, the words illegible from tears. It had been two years since I last wrote in my diary, a diary filled with memories, moments of carefree student life, innocent first crushes, and tears. Turning the pages, all the memories flooded back, vividly clear. It had also been two years since I last wrote in my diary. I am now a second-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi. This was my second choice, and that's how I ended up studying there. Two years was enough time for me to start a new love, to develop a new passion, and to discover more about myself. The initial period wasn't easy for someone like me who failed to get into university through their second choice: I felt discouraged and wanted to give up. But my parents always supported and encouraged me, and I started thinking more positively.

As a sophomore, it's perhaps too late to talk about the university entrance exam and my career aspirations, because even now I'm not 100% sure I truly love this field of study, but it's a new topic for me. Starting a new passion in an environment I never considered is unthinkable. My friends also wonder why I chose this school? Why not retake the exam? Why not continue with tourism? I want to, I want to retake the exam, I want to continue pursuing my passion, but I lack the courage to see it through. Sometimes I feel like I give up too easily; if I can abandon a passion I've had for so many years, how can I persevere with a completely unfamiliar field of study? I've already completed half of my student life with the Faculty of Humanities, and I've tried to change my perspective, tried to change my feelings; The Faculty of Humanities has been very kind to me: it has given me close new friends, memories I wouldn't have had at other universities, the opportunity to explore a fascinating field of study – Library and Information Science, and experiences, challenges, and activities that are distinctly humanistic. So why wouldn't I reciprocate that kindness? How could I not love this university! I am changing to improve myself.

An older sister once asked me if I had any regrets, and I answered emphatically: No regrets. Passion is a part of youth; everyone has their own passions to pursue. I once had a passion that was closely tied to my high school years, and now I have a new passion that is connected to my university years.

I read a quote online that said, "It doesn't matter how you start, but how you end." It doesn't matter if I stumble, what matters is that I got up and kept going, searching for a different ending—perhaps that ending will be a happy one.