{"id":299,"date":"2026-01-14T21:37:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T02:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krystenxmvn.com\/?page_id=299"},"modified":"2026-02-27T20:21:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T01:21:10","slug":"2025-wrapped","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/krystenxmvn.com\/vi\/stories\/2025-wrapped\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Wrapped"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking back at 2025 (and the recent winter break), the biggest lesson I have learned is: \u201cIf there is a will, there is a way.\u201d<\/strong>
This has been a truly special year for me\u2014one filled with profound change, a lot of first time, growth, reflection, and learning, not only from school, but also from myself, from people around me, and from the environment I stepped into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Achieving an \u201cImpossible\u201d Dream: Studying Abroad<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I fulfilled what once felt like an unrealistic dream for both me and my family \u2014 successfully studying abroad and pursuing higher education as a first-generation college student. It was a long journey of working to save money, learning English, taking the IELTS exam, searching for schools and programs, preparing countless documents from personal essays to recommendation letters, and going through the U.S. student visa process during a time of strict interview controls. Looking back, it was exhausting\u2014but absolutely worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Selling My First House & Chasing My Dream with \u201cNegative Hands\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I sold my first house and set off to pursue my dream with what I call \u201cnegative hands.\u201d
Yes, not empty-handed\u2014but in debt, i made a student loan to pursuit my dreams. This became a powerful motivation for me: I knew I had to work five, six, even ten times harder than the average person to achieve what I want. A close client once told me that the formula for ages 21\u201326 is simply to be bold, take risks, and do everything that is good for your own growth. So I decided to go all in and see how far determination could take me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Academic Breakthroughs Against the Odds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I earned a 4.0 GPA in my first semester of my master\u2019s program in the U.S., received a 33% tuition scholarship, passed one FINRA license (SIE) , and more certifications are on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming from a background without international schooling or formal English training, with an IELTS score of 6.5, the first one to two weeks of my master\u2019s program were overwhelming. I struggled to understand lectures due to unfamiliar accents, new vocabulary, and entirely new concepts.
Was it hard? Yes
Have I ever cried or felt pressure? Yes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I am resilient. I studied days and nights until I truly understood. Thankfully, my generation has Professor ChatGPT, thousand of courses on Youtube\u2014which always available to answer everything from complex questions to the most basic ones and UConn\u2019s faculty are very supportive and dedicated. Once I understood, everything became easier. My goals evolved along the way: from simply passing the first semester to achieving a 4.0 GPA to earning merit scholarships for incoming semesters. And I did it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Traveling Across the U.S. \u2014 Six States in Five Months<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Within five months, I visited to 6 U.S. states, all through opportunities generously sponsored. I call it fate\u2014some might call it luck or even miracles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n