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| With much effort, Nguyen Thuy Duong became one of two valedictorians of block C00 in Thai Nguyen province. |
The decision was not easy.
We went to meet Thuy Duong in Duc Xuan ward after the examination councils nationwide officially announced the 2025 high school graduation exam scores. Talking to us in the small study corner, Duong said softly: I am like any other normal student, always trying hard to study and try my best before each test. But this exam is a bit more special, I was very hesitant and determined, I was even afraid to tell many people about my retake.
Thuy Duong was born in 2006, a former student of Bac Kan High School for the Gifted . In the 2024-2025 school year, she registered for the D01 block exam and scored 25 points. With that result, she was admitted to the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi). Stepping into a new environment, getting acquainted with the major that she thought she would stick with for a long time, Duong thought more carefully about the path ahead.
Duong recalls: I have dreamed of becoming a teacher since I was a child. In the first exam, I also registered my first choice at the Faculty of Pedagogy but did not have enough points. Starting from October 2024, I answered the question "What kind of person do I want to become in the future?". From then on, I was determined to review the exam again to pursue my dream of becoming a History teacher.
While studying at university and secretly studying, Duong divided his time hour by hour: studying during the day and reviewing knowledge in the evening. From April 2025, after finishing the second semester, he focused on studying for the exam. To achieve the best results, Duong made specific plans by month, week and day. Usually, he would study Literature in the morning, Geography and History in the afternoon and evening. If he did not achieve his goal on a given day, Duong would try to make up for it the next day.
Duong recalls: Because I have more time in the morning, I study Literature because this is a subject that requires a lot of writing practice. I study for 4 hours. If I don't finish it according to the plan, I will make up for it during lunch break or stay up a little later. Near the final days, I take a 40-minute lunch break and then study History and Geography until the evening. When I complete that day's goal, I will rest and not force myself to stay up too late to study because it will be very difficult to wake up the next morning.
“The closer the exam date gets, the more discouraged and anxious I feel. At those times, I will confide in my parents and close friends to gain more motivation. There are also times when I think, let's just forget it, I can continue studying this major. At those times, I think of the two sayings I like the most: "Good things take time" (good things often require time and patience to achieve), "Little by little makes a lot". I will continue to tell myself, try a little more, try a little more... And just take the exam, I have to try my best, no matter what the result is, I won't have many regrets". Thuy Duong shared about the pressures she has experienced.
Touch your dream
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| Valedictorian Nguyen Thuy Duong. |
With perseverance and tireless efforts, Thuy Duong was recently filled with joy when she learned that her total score for the three subjects was 29 points. Recalling that moment, Duong said: Right after the exam, I calculated that the two subjects History and Geography were 9.75. But when I learned that the Literature subject was 9.5, I was very surprised, because this was also the subject I was most worried about.
When asked about the secret to studying for the C00 block, Duong confided: To achieve good learning results, in my opinion, the most important thing is perseverance and effort, starting from your own spirit and thoughts. Because only when you train yourself to be strong and positive from within, can you overcome drowsiness and stay awake to study. While reviewing for the exam, in addition to absorbing knowledge, I also practice a lot of questions. For Literature, I set a certain time to write to get used to my hand and the time pressure in the exam room. History has many timelines, so in addition to listening to the teacher's lecture, I imagine the development of historical timelines into a movie, which will be easier to remember...
One of the tools that contributed significantly to Duong's success was the computer. She did not attend extra classes but signed up for online learning packages from reputable teachers. According to Duong, this learning method helps her take the initiative with her time and review lectures to better grasp the knowledge.
Talking about technology devices, Thuy Duong also revealed that she has been using a smartphone since 6th grade. At first, she only used it to play games and watch videos for entertainment. Later, when she learned how to use it properly, the phone also helped her study better.
Duong said: I myself sometimes get addicted to social media content, sometimes I say I only use a little bit but it takes the whole afternoon. As a result, I have to study very late that night to achieve the plan I set. From then on, I think I have to be responsible for myself, know what is good for me. Through smartphones, I get a lot of new news, current social issues. From there, I apply it to my writing.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Thuy Duong's mother, shared: I am always by her side and accompany her, caring for and loving her as a mother, and at the same time trying to understand her as a friend. Respect and encourage her dreams and choices that she is trying to make, do not force her but listen and guide her to understand that in the age of rapidly developing digital technology, learning and mastering knowledge is extremely necessary for her to have a better future.
She always encourages Duong to choose a combination of subjects that her child is passionate about and loves, because only then can she fully develop her inherent abilities. Or when she lets her child use a phone early, she also understands that using smartphones or social networks has two sides. When children use them, they must also know how to be smart users. Social networks give children a broader understanding, help them find more information to serve their lessons, but they should not be too dependent on it.
From now on, Thuy Duong will continue on a new journey, the path towards her cherished dream. For Duong, studying Literature is not only for exams, but also to live more deeply, to understand herself better, as she has gone through a year quietly, but with confidence.
Thuy Duong confided that she wanted to become a History teacher. She understood that behind each timeline, each battle or event, there were great stories about the Vietnamese people. She hoped to pass on her love to her students, so that they would no longer be afraid of History, no longer think it was dry, but instead find it lively, attractive and passionate, just as she was inspired by the first lectures and pages of books.
That dream is not too lofty, not flashy. It originates from gratitude, to parents, to homeland, to country and is nurtured by the determination of a girl who chose to retake the exam to follow the desired path.
Maybe, the road ahead is long and full of challenges, but for Thuy Duong, everything has just begun. And that beginning is written with effort and deep love for sustainable values.
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/net-dep-doi-thuong/202507/thu-khoa-khoi-c00-tinh-thai-nguyen-chon-lai-de-buoc-tiep-7e63a1c/
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