I used to think that darkness would be both the journey and the final destination of my life.
It might sound a bit heavy, but for a long time, I truly lived surrounded by it.
Since high school, I often felt lost. I knew I wasn't the easiest person to make friends with and sometimes life threw challenges my way that I couldn't seem to handle. Being someone who tends to overthink, I slowly sank deeper into that darkness.
That period was long, lonely and heavy. I just let the darkness embrace me completely. When it came time to choose a university, while everyone else was busy preparing for their future, I chose to do nothing. It wasn't that I didn't want to plan ahead, I simply didn't have the courage. I had felt lost for far too long. Feeling completely lost, I let my parents guide the way for me. And they chose RMIT Vietnam.
At first, I thought I'd just pick a random major, study hard, graduate and find a stable job. That was the plan. When I consulted with the admissions team, they gave me a personality test and took the time to really ask about me. They recommended Digital Marketing. I remember thinking,
Really? Someone as reserved as me, in marketing?
But I decided to go for it.
And to my surprise, it turned out to fit me better than I had ever imagined. Looking back now, I believe it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Minh Anh with her lecturer and friends in one course of Digital Marketing program.
Since entering RMIT, things have gradually become brighter. Step by step, I began to walk out of the shadows that once defined me. It may sound like I'm exaggerating RMIT's impact, but for me, it's true. From my very first class, to meeting my very first friend (who has now become my closest companion), to joining my first club, to learning alongside passionate lecturers, supportive staff and inspiring peers - light slowly found its way into my life.
"Since entering RMIT, things have gradually become brighter."
I’m deeply grateful for having chosen RMIT. For some people, a "legacy" might mean something grand or remarkable. For me, the legacy RMIT gave me is my own transformation. I’m no longer the shy girl afraid of speaking up, no longer the child who once believed darkness was the only path ahead. Now, I have hope for the future and ready for what's next. I’m living my youth to the fullest, with goals of my own, happiness in my heart and the courage to step into the light.
This story may be long, but I think this might be one of the few opportunities for me to openly express how thankful I am - to RMIT and to the wonderful people I've met here.
Fun fact: When I first entered RMIT, I was really struggling. I got introduced to the school's Well-being team. Honestly, I thought consultation services would just try to get their job done quickly. But the Well-being staff at RMIT showed such genuine care that it warmed my heart. I was too shy to reply to their messages, but deep down, I felt so comforted and supported.
