Nguyen Phuong Anh, a 22-year-old English language major from Hanoi, was among the approximately 3,000 students who graduated from the Hanoi University of Education last month.

"This wasn't a random outcome," Phuong Anh said. "It was a goal and a challenge I set for myself since my second year. I had a plan for each semester to achieve it."

Nguyen Phuong Anh. Photo courtesy of the subject

Nguyen Phuong Anh. Photo courtesy of the subject

As a high school student at Yen Hoa High School, Phuong Anh was interested in media and event management. However, inspired by her teachers during online learning due to Covid-19, she began exploring education, choosing to major in English at the Hanoi University of Education.

"I thought this choice would provide a good foundation if I pursued media, but it would also make it easy to switch to teaching," Phuong Anh explained. She added that she "barely passed" the entrance exam in 2021 with a score of 27.4 in the D01 combination (Math, Literature, English).

Despite having to study online for almost the entire first year due to Covid-19, Phuong Anh actively participated in extracurricular activities, worked as a tutor, and as an educational materials editor. This made it difficult for her to balance her study time.

Also due to not having an effective study method, Phuong Anh finished her first year with a GPA of 3.6. Although this was still a good grade, for Phuong Anh, it was not a good result, as she missed out on a scholarship despite usually topping her class in high school.

"That's when I realized I needed to refocus, concentrate more on studying, and have specific goals and plans," Phuong Anh said.

She often spent early mornings brainstorming and planning activities. The rest of the day was dedicated to studying.

No longer having to study online and able to connect more easily with upperclassmen, Phuong Anh was shared many learning methods and materials. She found group study very effective, so she sought out friends for support.

For her English major courses, Phuong Anh learned from all possible sources: newspapers, movies, and music. Whenever she came across a useful phrase, she wrote it down to review and memorize. Each time she used the phrase in real-life conversations or while studying, she felt motivated to continue.

Phuong Anh with Dr. Tran Huong Quynh, Head of the English Department, Hanoi University of Education, on graduation day. Photo courtesy of the subject

Phuong Anh with Dr. Tran Huong Quynh, Head of the English Department, Hanoi University of Education, on graduation day. Photo courtesy of the subject

Her third year was Phuong Anh’s busiest, as she was a leader of the English Department's Student Association, participated in scientific research, and retook five courses to improve her grades from B or B+ to A, aiming to graduate with a perfect score.

"The time pressure was immense," Phuong Anh acknowledged. The most stressful time was during her graduation thesis, which required independent research.

"There were times I was stuck, writing all day and only managing a small paragraph," Phuong Anh recalled. "But Dr. Quynh's encouragement that I was on the right track gave me more confidence."

Dr. Tran Huong Quynh, Head of the English Department and Phuong Anh's thesis advisor, praised her meticulousness, perfectionism, and self-learning abilities.

"Phuong Anh's thesis on pragmatic content in English textbooks is a challenging topic related to curriculum development and textbook materials following the 2018 general education program," Dr. Quynh said. "But thanks to her efforts, the thesis was awarded a score of 9.6 by the grading committee, the highest among the graduating students this term."

According to Dr. Quynh, Phuong Anh is a rare case in the department to achieve perfect scores in both academics and conduct in recent years. She has been the organizer of many programs and has won the "5 Good Student" title and the Hoa Thang Gieng Award for outstanding student leaders.

Phuong Anh speaking at the Congress of the English Department Student Union for the 2025-2028 term. Photo courtesy of the subject

Phuong Anh speaking at the Congress of the English Department Student Union for the 2025-2028 term. Photo courtesy of the subject

Currently, Phuong Anh works at an English center while preparing to apply for a master's degree in English Language Teaching Methodology.

"I'm no longer torn between media and education," Phuong Anh stated. "I admire the teachers at the University of Education and want to become a dedicated lecturer, both teaching and conducting in-depth research like them."

Duong Tam