Throughout my childhood, the question my dad asked me most often was, “How was your day?” And right after that question, I’d usually be in the kitchen with my mom, clumsily learning how to cook, while chatting away with my dad about my silly little stories.

There’s a saying: “Parents give birth to their children, but Heaven gives them their nature.” I was born a mischievous, curious kid who loved to explore everything around me. Because of that playful energy, my teachers often called my parents to “report my crimes.” Of course, I’d get scolded by my mom - and cry my eyes out.

But once the tension eased, she would always sit down with me and explain why I was wrong, where I went wrong, and how I could fix it. Mom used to say, “It’s good for a child to be active and curious, but you have to know when it’s appropriate to satisfy your curiosity - and how your actions might affect others.”

After those long talks, I’d finally realize my mistakes and write a reflection in my notebook. To this day, my mom still keeps all ten of those notebooks - as a reminder of how I grew up.

Because I was such an active and curious kid, during the pandemic - when I had to stay home - I started slacking off in my studies. Having inherited my dad’s sharp and knowledgeable mind, I’d always been at the top of my class throughout primary school, so I got a bit over confident and careless during that period.

Of course, no parents fail to notice changes in their child. My mom and dad quickly realized I was falling behind and dropping to the bottom of the class. Almost immediately, they hired a tutor to keep me on track.

But at that time, I was in that stage where kids want to prove themselves. I tried to hide my weaknesses, pretending I had everything under control. My dad saw right through me. He called me over and said, “If you ask a question, you’re only ignorant for a moment - but if you don’t, you’ll stay ignorant for life.”

That sentence hit my pride hard. It helped me put my ego aside and go all in on my studies. And thanks to that, I managed to climb back into the top ten of my class.

“Whatever I Dreamed Of, My Family Was Always There to Lift Me Up.”

As I began to regain my academic rhythm, I realized that my potential reached even further than I had thought. That’s when I set a clear goal for myself - to get into the Hanoi National University of Education High School for the Gifted, specializing in Chemistry. After testing my abilities across different subjects, I found that Chemistry fit me best.

The entrance exam results turned out quite good, but I had spent so much time focusing on science that I neglected English. I scored 8 out of 10 - not bad, but clearly below the level of my peers who were top-tier students. Fortunately, luck was on my side - I was admitted to the semi-specialized program, which still meant I had reached my goal.

Knowing that English was my weakness, I threw myself into studying relentlessly, determined to achieve an IELTS 8.0. But the speaking section was extremely difficult for me - no matter how hard I practiced, my score wouldn’t improve. I started to stress myself out, to the point of burnout. My dad, who had been quietly observing everything, decided to step in. He took our entire family on a trip to Europe, hoping to help me relax and clear my mind. That trip was the first time I had ever traveled abroad, and it sparked the beginning of my dream to study overseas. During those long weeks abroad, I had to use every bit of English I knew - because I was the main communicator for our family. After returning to Vietnam, my English skills improved dramatically. It turned out I wasn’t bad at English - I had simply lacked real-life exposure. With that experience and renewed motivation, I finally achieved my IELTS 8.0 goal. Even better, I scored 1520 on the SAT on my first try. 

Although my dad works in engineering, he has always been passionate about economics and finance. He often jokes, “No matter what you want to create - a new invention or a song - you’ll still need money.” That idea shaped my interest in finance and economics from a very young age. He taught me how to record even the smallest transactions, and every time we went to fairs, he showed me how to spend money wisely - balancing what I wanted and what I truly needed. That’s exactly why I chose to pursue finance and economics. To challenge myself and prove my ability in this field, I signed up for several competitions - most notably, the International Economics Olympiad (IEO). At first, I joined just for fun, not expecting much. But with my background in AP Micro and Macro (score 5), I managed to win third place nationally, which was enough to qualify for the national team selection. From there, the questions became much harder and more math-oriented. Luckily, I also had AP Calculus BC (score 5), and with a bit of luck, I secured a top 1 ranking, officially joining the national team. That’s when the real challenge began.  I immersed myself  in  text books like Modern Macroeconomics and Intermediate Microeconomics with Calculus, and I spent the entire summer practicing with past Olympiad exams from other countries.

Finally, in the last week of August, I flew to Greece for the global finals of the International Economics Olympiad. It was my first time traveling alone, and everything felt completely foreign. Arriving at the International Olympic Academy (IOA), I was amazed by the environment - it was my first experience in such a truly “international” setting. Every daily routine, from brushing my teeth to sitting for the exam, I shared with people from all around the world. It was a completely new experience - I had only ever been surrounded by Vietnamese peers before. The exposure opened my eyes to new cultures, perspectives, and ways of thinking. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me - to satisfy my curiosity, meet people my age from across the world, and learn about their lives, conversations, and cultures. By the end of the trip, I earned an individual bronze medal and a team silver medal - a well deserved result for all the effort I had put in that summer. But more importantly, what I gained from this journey went far beyond awards. I made friends from the U.S., Kazakhstan, Thailand, Spain, Egypt, Chile, and many more. I discovered new foods, new traditions, and new perspectives. I believe that even if I live in an international environment in the future, it will never feel quite the same - because right now, I’m still a teenager, full of curiosity and wonder.

“When study drains you, let sports heal you.”

To go from almost zero to achieving so many things, I’ve gone through countless sleepless nights. Because of that, my health started to decline noticeably. For someone like my dad - a man passionate about sports and deeply mindful of health - that was a real wake-up call. He has always believed that while studying is important, it’s not everything. “You’re still young,” he would say, “you should enjoy the energy of your youth.”

With his encouragement and companionship, I reorganized my study schedule to make more time for sports. I played football more often, even learned a new sport - table tennis - and sometimes went cycling with my dad.

But the sport I love most is running. For someone like me, a little round and chubby, running was never a natural strength. I used to be completely out of breath after just 800 meters. But every time I stumbled, my dad would stop, help me up, and tell me to keep going - that once you start something, you must have the perseverance to see it through. Seeing that determination in him, I knew I couldn’t give up. So I kept running - and running - and running.

My dad and I have joined many races together. Each one brought a longer distance, a tougher challenge, and another milestone to overcome. For me, running isn’t just about fitness or achievement - it’s a powerful symbol of the bond between my dad and me, and a testament to how much I’ve grown and changed as a person.

In the end, the people I’m most grateful for are my dad and my family. Ever since I was little, they’ve helped shape my character and who I am today. But it was never about imposing anything on me - I still grew up freely, like a small seedling finding its own way, while my family were the gardeners who nurtured me to grow stronger.

At this point in my life, I feel it’s time for me to stand firmly on my own feet. My dad and everyone in my family have supported me so much, and now it’s my turn to give back.

I hope that in the future, with my current direction and determination, I’ll continue to grow and share my knowledge and experiences with others - because I believe that the most beautiful thing about knowledge isn’t how much you know, but how far you can spread and multiply it.