The story of the female valedictorian overcoming difficulties of VNU-USSH

Nguyen Thi Cam Tu is the valedictorian of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the X100 admission method (admission based on high school graduation exam results). In the high school graduation exam, Tu was also one of 19 valedictorians of the C00 block nationwide, with two 10s in History and Geography; 9.75 in Literature.
Nearly 4 weeks since coming to Hanoi to study, Tu still hasn't gotten used to the Northern accent. This is the first time the female student from Yen Thanh, Nghe An has been away from home on her own. Tu rents a room a few hundred meters from school and cooks her own meals to save money.
Nguyen Thi Cam Tu. Photo: Character provided
Tu’s parents currently work at a blind massage parlor in Vinh City, 50 km away from home. Since Tu went to college, his younger sister from the countryside has moved to live with his parents. The whole family reunites every day and talks to each other over the phone, so even though they are far away, Tu doesn’t miss home.
The female student said her father has been blind since childhood, and her mother has a brain tumor and has had many surgeries, so her eyesight has gradually become blurred. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Tu's mother, is sick all year round, but since her two children started studying at a higher level, which costs more, she has gone to work with her husband to share the burden. Each month, she and her husband visit their children once. Ms. Huong is most worried about the rainy season, when the house is often isolated due to high water levels.
The mother said that her children were well-behaved, understanding and independent from a young age. When their parents were away, the Tu sisters took care of their own lives, took care of the chickens and advised each other. Despite their difficult life, Huong and her husband always encouraged their children to study so they could have stable jobs in the future.
"There are many difficulties but we must try to overcome them to raise and educate our two children," said Ms. Huong, 42 years old.
Loving his parents, Tu focused on studying, often waking up at 3am to study until 5am, then preparing meals for his two sisters all day before going to school. His family did not have the means, so Tu never went to extra classes but studied at home. Tu often focused on listening to lectures, taking notes with keywords to memorize the lessons in class, and if he did not understand, he would ask the teacher again. At home, Tu did each question thoroughly and learned from his mistakes.
The female student said she often takes free online classes from teachers or joins many groups to exchange knowledge and documents. For Literature, Tu studies the main ideas of each work, for History, she memorizes keywords, and for Geography, she studies maps and atlases.
"This method is effective so I don't have to study much. When the exam is near, I stay up a little later to review," Tu said.
Throughout 12 years, Tu was an excellent student and received many awards. In grade 12, she won second and third prizes in the provincial competition for Civic Education and History. Tu was also an outstanding student at Phan Thuc Truc High School.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, Tu's former homeroom teacher, commented that her student was intelligent and determined. In class, Tu excelled in social studies and English. The student was quiet but always tried to overcome her circumstances to achieve her academic goals.
"The exam results reflect Tu's true ability," said Ms. Ha. "He is completely deserving."
When she heard the news that her daughter was valedictorian, Ms. Huong burst into tears of joy.
"I'm so happy. God doesn't take everything away from anyone," she said.
Huong and her husband are happy that their child is going to school, but they are also worried about the monthly expenses. During the winter, there are fewer customers, so she plans to save money and send her child three million VND for rent and living expenses each month. She hopes her child will be happy and do well in her chosen field of study.
Tu is currently improving her English and learning Chinese to increase her chances of getting a job. After graduation, Tu hopes to work for a media company. She also aims to win a scholarship and work part-time to help her parents.
"I will try to study hard so that I can help my sister and my parents in the future," Tu shared.
Tu (front row, right) with his parents and younger sister at home in Nghe An. Photo: Provided by the character
VNExpress Newspaper:Blind couple's daughter strives to become valedictorian