The dream of exploring new lands.

The final leg of our journey to meet the top-scoring students was marked by alternating rain and sunshine on the road from Hanoi to the low-lying Bình Lục region of Hà Nam province. After asking for directions numerous times, we finally found the home of Tống Thị Thanh Lan – co-valedictorian of the C block at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2011.

Attending a specialized school, living away from home.

Lan began her story by telling us about her life and studies from her middle and high school years. She said: "From the 6th grade, I studied far from home. After finishing elementary school, I passed the entrance exam to Nguyen Khuyen High School, a specialized school in the district, 10 kilometers from my house. In high school, I passed the entrance exam to Bien Hoa High School in the province. So, throughout my school years, I lived far from home. Lan chose Geography after many choices. In the 6th grade, I chose Literature, in the 8th grade I liked Chemistry, and then I listened to the teachers' lectures and learned a lot about the country, people, and regions. From then on, I developed a love for Geography. Since childhood, I have also loved exploration and dreamed of discovering different parts of the world. I always asked myself why things were the way they were and tried to find the answers myself. If I tried hard and still couldn't find the answer, I would ask my teachers and friends." That's why Lan decided to major in Tourism, hoping to have the opportunity to travel to many places and explore firsthand. Talking to her, we learned that Lan has two siblings, and her parents are farmers. During her years at a specialized high school far from home, she had to overcome many difficulties and challenges. Lan shared: "I remember one winter in 11th grade when I had a fever. I didn't know what to do, but luckily my friends took me to the hospital. At the hospital, we were so scared, we just hugged each other and cried. My father was working far away and couldn't get home in time. My mother, upon hearing the news, hired a motorbike taxi and arrived near dusk. When I woke up, I saw my mother by my side. Although I was no longer scared, I felt incredibly sorry for my parents and incredibly lonely…"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Lan added: "When I found out my score and that I was the top student, it was the same. That day, both my father and I were sick and resting at home. When my friend told me the news, I was so overwhelmed that I hugged my father tightly and sobbed uncontrollably. I really can't describe my feelings at that moment; there were so many mixed emotions – joy, happiness… and also worry. It means I'll have another four years living away from home."

Top student and the worries ahead

Lan has had excellent academic achievements since childhood, consistently achieving top grades for many years. From the 5th grade, she participated in the provincial-level gifted student competition, winning third prize in Geography in the 11th grade, second prize at the provincial level, and a national honorable mention in the 12th grade. Having studied far from home since a young age, Lan had to learn to manage her life and take care of herself. Her mother, Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan, confided to us: "In the 6th grade, she attended a specialized school far from home. Her father worked far away, and her mother worked on a few acres of farmland. Good harvests helped, but bad harvests made life difficult for the family. During the years she attended the specialized school, the family struggled a lot. Seeing her succeed in her studies and exams brought both joy and worry." But no matter how difficult it is, my family is determined to let me continue my studies… Although accustomed to independent living away from home, Lan still has many worries as she prepares for her four years of university: For the new academic year, she worries most about accommodation, studying, and adapting to a new environment with many unfamiliar things. During the days leading up to the university entrance exams, she found life in the capital noisy and hectic, and feared she would have difficulty integrating and facing many challenges. After the exams, she worried about her scores, and now that she knows her results and has become the top student, she still feels anxious and pressured. Because she's applying to the Tourism major, which includes both Group C and Group D students, the English proficiency of the Group D students will be much higher than hers. She worries about whether she can keep up with them. She's currently trying to improve her English. She's also a little hesitant about whether she should apply to the high-quality program.

Overcoming her anxiety, she said: "I will try my best to study well during my four years of university, and once I'm settled in my studies, I'll find a part-time job to help my parents..." Further conversation revealed that since childhood, whenever she had free time on weekends or summer holidays, Lan would work part-time doing embroidery to earn extra money for books and school supplies, easing her parents' financial burden, even though her daily income was only about 10,000 VND. While waiting for the start of the school year, she helps her parents with household chores at home and continues to work part-time hoping to save as much as possible to prepare for the new academic year.