Nguyen Tung Son is currently a fourth-year student majoring in Literature Education at Hanoi Pedagogical University. This young man from Thanh Chuong (Nghe An province) recently won first runner-up at the 2024 Elegant Student Contest organized by the Youth Union of Central Government Agencies. The contest aimed to find students who represent a well-rounded beauty in terms of intellect, talent, appearance, and who inspire others. Throughout the competition rounds, Son showcased many talents such as singing Nghe Tinh folk songs and performing traditional rituals. Through these performances, the student hoped to spread cultural and artistic values ​​to more people. Winning the runner-up title surprised and delighted Tung Son. He stated that he wasn't the most handsome or the most talented contestant. "What made me stand out was probably the enthusiasm of youth," Son said.

Nguyen Tung Son is a student majoring in Literature Education at Hanoi Pedagogical University. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Coming to the competition, Son brought with him his personal story and his journey of struggling to "live as himself." Son said that he had previously suffered from depression. It was an extremely difficult time that still makes him shudder when he remembers it. "At that time, I struggled with a jumble of emotions. I was easily saddened, felt sorry for myself, and cried, even biting my nails and lips until they bled or closing myself off to talk to myself. That period lasted for two years," Son said. Although he loves literature, the male student felt "pressured" by the prejudices people had about "boys studying literature" or "studying literature only leads to writing and nothing great."

Tung Son was born in 2003 in Thanh Chuong, Nghe An . (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Fortunately, when Sơn attended Nguyễn Cảnh Chân High School, his teachers supported his development and encouraged him to be himself. This further motivated him to pursue his dreams. As a result, in his senior year, Sơn won third prize in the Nghệ An province's Literature competition and an honorable mention in History. This also helped Tùng Sơn gain direct admission to the Literature Education program at Hanoi University of Education. Since then, Sơn has gradually become more confident, breaking free from his protective shell and participating more in group activities.

Son was the first runner-up in the 2024 Elegant Student Contest. (Photo: Provided by the contestant)

Inspired by his father, a primary school teacher, Son dreamed of standing on the podium since childhood. "For me, teaching is an extremely noble profession, because every day I get to sow seeds of knowledge and impart it to my students," Son said. To fulfill his passion for teaching, Son opened his own Literature class under his personal brand to spread his love of literature to students. He primarily teaches online, and over the past four years, some of his students have achieved top scores in university entrance exams.

Having overcome depression, Son wants to spread positive energy to everyone. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Studying at the Teacher Training College, Son said he has undergone a significant transformation. “The teachers at the Teacher Training College are very strict, but that has also helped me mature and develop a more serious and meticulous attitude towards learning.” To master his lessons, Son often uses mind maps to organize his knowledge, giving him a comprehensive overview and making it easier to analyze problems. As a Literature student, Son also has to read and research additional books, newspapers, and documents to broaden his understanding. “In my free time, I often go to large libraries to look up learning materials. Studying literature at university is very different from high school. We have to delve deeper into language, psychology, classical Chinese and Vietnamese script… The richness of literature also helps me to improve myself.”

The image Son aims for is that of a quintessential, dynamic, and creative "Gen Z" teacher. (Photo: Nguyen Bao)

Having taught Son at Hanoi Pedagogical University, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Thu Thuy, a lecturer in the Literature Department, was impressed by her student's diligence, seriousness, and humility. Witnessing Son's confidence on stage, Ms. Thuy was surprised by the many qualities, strengths, and "brilliant" talents her student displayed. "Even so, when Son became well-known, I both encouraged and reminded him to calmly accept the good news, but not to neglect his main responsibilities. He should consider it a motivation to grow," Ms. Thuy said.

Associate Professor Dr. Dang Thu Thuy and Tung Son. (Photo: Nguyen Bao)

Currently, in addition to his studies, Son is also trying his hand at several fields such as MCing, modeling, and public speaking. However, the student said that his participation in artistic activities is only for the purpose of gaining experience. "I still want to focus on my major and become a Literature teacher. The image I aspire to is that of a new generation of teachers - a model 'Gen Z' teacher, dynamic and creative," Son said.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nam-sinh-su-pham-gay-sot-vi-dep-trai-tung-duoc-tuyen-thang-vao-dai-hoc-2346301.html