Tag: thought

Throw Back Sunday

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While browsing facebook today, I pumped into a viral article about how Harvard students study as if it were the last day of their lives.

At first, I felt ashamed of myself for not being hard-working enough, since I was scrolling down the mobile screen instead of reading books.

But as soon as I realized the big fact that I was at Harvard, my brain amazingly drew me back to the most beautiful memories of my last summer in the U.S.

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Yes! I WAS AT THE LEGENDARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY!

Even until now, it still seems extremely surreal to me.

Way back before the trip, in my world, America, NYC, Boston or Harvard had only existed inside the TV frame, books and in my dream. Since I was small, I have always known that my family is nothing more than a middle-class family in a poor country, which means we are only able to live and save some within our “Vietnam Dong-zone“. Therefore, at that time, traveling abroad, especially the U.S was really a lux, not to mention we all know how difficult it is for a foreigner to get inside the U.S. borders.

Fortunately, I found out about a volunteer project that would cover everything including the living expenses, accommodation for the volunteers. I signed up for it. And after a couple of months, I was in America, all by myself. That’s how I got to the dream land.

I spent one month of summer in the country, met lots of cool people, learned various things and bought a lovely poncho. Above all, I set foot in the Harvard University, took a tour. My mind was completely blown away.

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Now that I’ve come back, back to the repeated tiresome days, I have never stopped reminiscing about the last summer. It has really triggered my love for traveling, my hunger for another genuine adventure. That’s why I’ve constantly started my plan of traveling around the world. Simply, I’m now bearing this thought to myself: “I’ve been to the hardest, furthest country so why I can’t go to nearer ones?!”

Anyways, my next destination is Thailand. I’m working my ass off for it, saving every penny I could to bring my plan into practice, which is to travel to at least one country every single year.

Simple as that, a poor student who still lives under the same roof with her parents, thinks she can travel around the world. How about you? Have you embarked on your own journey?

Building My Writing Muscles

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Recently I have watched and read plenty of things about psychology, especially about human mindset. The way we think about ourselves determines our action, and our action determines our success in life.

It is the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. People with fixed mindset bear in mind the thought that their abilities are locked in place. So these people often back down when facing something “out of reach” to them. But for ones with a growth mindset, a challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow. They think their abilities can improve through practices. In fact, this is true. Science supports people with a growth mindset, as it has been proved that our nerves do get stronger after regular practicing and exercises.

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz

This theory did touch my nerves. I need to have a growth mindset for sure. Therefore, even when luck does not smile at me, science will support me.

I started thinking about what I was afraid of all the time, what I seemed “out of reach”.

WRITING!

Yes, writing has always been my sworn enemy. Especially writing in English. I am pure Vietnamese. I speak Vietnamese, write Vietnamese. I even had troubles when it came to writing in my mother language. So writing something in other language was a nightmare. It took me hours to finish a 250-word essay. At school, my scores for English writing skill were the worst.

After having detected my sworn enemy, I decided to make friends with it. From now on, I will not avoid it any longer and change my attitude. The relationship between writing and me will get stronger over time. Like muscles, I hope my writing ability could be improved through practicing.

Now I am forming my writing muscles. I am trying to write more, in Vietnamese and English (and hopefully French in the future). Though my writing would maybe sound stupid or naive, I will write about random things, anything I run into during my life journey. This blog is going to be a place for me to do it.

At the end of the day, future is future. I don’t know if any of above things would take effect. I don’t know eventually what I will become or how good I will be. But let’s just live for today, better myself and grow!

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P/S: Hoping that some native English speakers could read this and point out my mistakes or comment on the way I write. I would really appreciate!