A male IT student who lost an arm: "Difficulties are like bugs that need to be fixed."

Having lost his left arm and entering university at the age of 23, Phan Van Khai once feared he would become a burden to others. But instead of avoiding the inconveniences, the IT student from the 19-10 class, Faculty of Information Technology at Dai Nam University (DNU), chose to find solutions to each of his own "bugs." From a shy student, Khai became a class leader, managing tasks and connecting the entire group.

The first "bug" is the fear of becoming a burden.

On his first day of university, Khai didn't feel the same excitement as many new students. The university campus was larger than high school, his accommodation was far from the school, and commuting was inconvenient. For someone who only uses one hand, even seemingly simple tasks could take extra time.

Khải was afraid of being slow, late, and falling behind his friends. He was also worried that the inconveniences in his daily life would force him to rely too much on others.

But those worries gradually eased when Khai integrated into the IT 19-10 class. His friends proactively supported him when he encountered difficulties, exchanged notes, and stayed connected even outside of class hours. The whole class created a Discord channel to share about their studies, life, and to work together to solve any problems that arose.

Khải accepted the help, but didn't want to be just a recipient. He began actively participating in group activities, studying seriously, and taking on the role of class president.

"Adjust" your own limitations.

Khải has loved IT since he was a child, but the deeper he studied, the more he realized that passion doesn't mean everything is easy.

Specialized knowledge requires logical thinking, concentration, and plenty of practice time. After each lesson, Khai usually reviews the material, identifies parts he doesn't understand, and then tries to figure out the answers himself. When needed, he uses learning support tools, including Gemini's guided learning mode, to reinforce his knowledge.

English was also a major "bug" for him. His communication skills were limited, while the IT industry had many English terms and documents. Khai didn't choose to avoid it. He played online games with foreigners, studied with friends, and gradually improved his English skills.

Khải spoke about the difficulties in the typical way of an IT student: "For me, difficulties are sometimes like those 'bugs' I encounter while coding. After figuring out how to fix them, I feel relieved and become more resilient."

For Khai, having "bugs" isn't scary. The important thing is finding a way to fix them.

From someone who feared becoming a burden to someone who takes on responsibility.

Becoming class president came about quite by chance for Khai. A friend who had studied at Dai Nam University and had experience as a class president encouraged him to give it a try. Difficulties immediately arose.

Khải had never managed a group before and wasn't familiar with all the class members. He had to monitor their academic progress, relay information from lecturers and the homeroom teacher, keep track of attendance and grades, assign class officers, and simultaneously manage his own study schedule.

The longer he worked there, the more Khai understood that the class president wasn't someone who stood above the group to give orders.

"A class leader is not someone who gives orders, but someone who serves and unites the group."

That job forced Khai to change. He became more confident in expressing his opinions, learned to organize his work scientifically, and learned to look at a problem from multiple perspectives.

There was a time when personal and family problems made Khai want to stop studying and give up his role as class president. But encouragement from his homeroom teacher, Bao Chau, and his classmates helped him continue.

The completed specialized projects, recognition from faculty, and scholarships received in his first year became milestones that further strengthened Khai's belief in his abilities.

There are still new "bugs" ahead. Khai knows that. But he also knows he doesn't need to move as fast as others.

"It's perfectly normal to sometimes feel inadequate. Don't look at others and force yourself to be as good as them right away. Just go at your own pace."

After graduation, Khai wants to find a job in his field, earn his own income using his abilities, and further build his own team, applying the organizational and management experience he has accumulated as class leader.

"Difficulties should only slow you down a little to find other ways, not be a reason to stop."

Perhaps Khai's college journey also began with a similar "bug": he was once afraid of not being able to keep up with others, then he found a way to move forward at his own pace.