There was a time like that…

I told Xoan to go to sleep, and then go back to the dormitory tomorrow to rest so she could do well on the exam. It's exam season, and I'm feeling better after being in the hospital for a few days.

Xoan told me not to worry, just get better first and then we'll figure things out.

Upon arriving at the university, everything was unfamiliar, and it was exam season, so I had to stay up late and wake up early, which caused me to fall ill and be hospitalized for a week. During those days, despite being busy, my roommates took turns bringing me food and drinks, and one of them even stayed overnight.

Xoan, from Nghe An province, was the one who took care of me the most. Because of all the hospital visits, her grades weren't good that semester. I felt incredibly guilty.

My time in the hospital is one of countless memories I have of my student days, a simple, quiet, very private period of my life, yet also full of ambition, love, and sharing.

My memories also include the cramped dorm room with 12 beds, and friends from different years and departments, speaking unfamiliar languages.

Despite being cramped and hot, this was the first place where I learned how to live among many strangers; I learned to be considerate when no one would turn off the lights, to be patient while waiting in line for laundry, and to be tolerant when someone spoke angrily. And so, friendships blossomed very naturally.

During our time in the dorms, the time we looked forward to most was the nights when the power went out but the moon was shining brightly. We would all gather in the hallway and sit in a circle on a thin mat. Below us was the deserted schoolyard, and in the distance, the sound of the waves mingled with the sparse sounds of nighttime traffic. A cool breeze blew in from outside. At those times, we would tell each other countless stories—about our homes, our younger siblings, and even about our budding romances.

Phung, from Quang Binh, was in love with a fellow villager working in South Korea, and they would call each other every night just to argue. Sa, from Quang Nam, had a boyfriend studying in Da Nang , but their relationship didn't work out because Sa graduated and became a lecturer, so she stayed in Quy Nhon. I also contributed my story about a long-distance love that ended prematurely…

I don't know what will happen to Phung's feelings after he returns to his country, but I know that all the little things in the dormitory, all the lovely stories from those innocent early days, have blended into beautiful memories that occasionally brighten the heart.

We can never go back to the old days, but I will always cherish a time that was long enough, challenging enough, yet peaceful enough for us to love each other with all the sincerity of youth.