The Unimaginable Times

Our moments at school may seem like a long stretch until graduation peaks around the corner, which I realized when most of my friends walked to get their diploma except for me. Never did I see myself expand my undergraduate education beyond the four-year plan. In truth, I felt like a failure, so dropping out seemed dearly of a choice to me at that time — even when I was only 20 credits short.

It all began with Houston, Texas, the tragically cursed land where scammers prey upon your wallets like vultures circling a starved child. Knowing this, my family still decided to move away from Colorado.

For half of 2022, my checking account was averaging negative $5 because I was too late to realize the health insurance I had was a complete shambles of a company. The fake coverage drained all my assets, so eventually I could not pay for school, rent or food. Still on a full-time school schedule and job, but all my clocked hours flew away like it was volunteer work.

Tri Duong at the shoreline of Galveston, Texas, overlooks a quote from a distance that says, “And in the Sea our true selves will unfold and we will be one before God, and the Sea will touch our hearts and our souls will be filled with gladness, like that of a child. And once again, we will be Free — Unknown,” May 20, 2022.

With my life turned upside down, alone in a unfamiliar place, I lost that spark of joy. Forgetting the blissful moments of living, it drowned my mental headspace the longer I remain at this abysmal place…

Shortly after landing in Houston, Texas, a Ford Mustang 1 catches on fire near the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Feb. 14, 2022.

Clearly, I believe some higher power is hinting that I do not belong in this area.

I dropped out of college because I could not recognize that I was exactly where I needed to be, so I ran.

Eventually, I decided to come back after looking through my photo library. A life narrative of mine would not be complete without the feature of friends, teachers and coworkers. Their biggest contribution to me is their very existence.

Aspen, Julie, Tri and Zeya celebrates the final days of CTV Cribs together, April 19, 2022. The eviction came in short noticed, so the roommates hosted an “Eviction Party” to bid farewell to Tri.

The Collegian Photography team in a group picture during a Halloween meeting October 29, 2021. The crew count is 25 photographers, which is the biggest it has ever been. Coming out of the pandemic, it was a special place in time being able to see our team in-person.

The Collegian Photographers join together for a Christmas meeting, December 9, 2021. Our team worked nonstop to produce photo stories and galleries for the newspaper, so a photo to mark the moment of accomplishment.

The Collegian editors out in the Oval for end of year photos, May 10, 2021. Operations during the pandemic is a difficult task, however, the staff was able to manage and navigate their responsibilities for the paper.

Collegian editors overviews the paper before print during production nights at the newsroom, September 4, 2021. Enjoyable moments like these complete our experiences in time, even when you can’t physically see the smiles underneath the masks.

CTV Studio Crew final show before start of winter break November 28, 2021. The studio was filled with countless memories, it was a sacred place of coming together for learning. All of us come in with different skills sets, and sharing our talents with each other was an enlightening way to network.

Claire and Tri during preshow practice in the CTV studio, November 28, 2021.

Zeya Highley and Tri Duong featured in CTV Cooks aired Sept. 1, 2021. First time making Koolaid pancakes live on television. Living in the same apartment, the opportunity to create our own cooking show was a dream come true. Highley’s favorite dish is Pho, a classic Vietnamese noodle soup.

Dave Primer and Tri Duong prepares to check on the honeybees in Wellington, Colorado, August 25, 2021. Primer was drafted to Vietnam, which he turned 21 years old in Saigon, the city Duong was born at. Now meeting across the world, they connect through the interest of photography and beekeeping.

Dave Primer, Board member of the Northern Colorado Beekeeper Association, checks on his the backyard hives in Wellington, Colorado, August 25, 2021. In the last 35 years, Primer has dedicated his love for protecting honeybees by teaching students how to take care of the colonies found in California and Colorado.

Denise Hakim, owner of YumYum Social Club, teaches Tri Duong to make a falafel for a segment of Tasty discoveries, August 29, 2021. Hakim introduced culture and traditions from the roots of Lebanon to Fort Collins, Colorado through food.

Denise Hakim, the owner of Yum Yum Social Club, shares a laugh with her customer as she makes a gyro, March 4, 2021. Although the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, Hakim is motivated to continue serving the beloved community of Fort Collins. (Tri Duong | The Collegian)

The great escape

As soon as I came back to Colorado, my world turned peaceful instantly — I was able to feel the zest of life once more. Everyone that I connected with in school or work pointed me towards a clearer insight about taking care of yourself.

Sometimes the journey to finding our balance presents to us the most graceful experience or vice versa. We must be of witness to both as it is the duality of our being. If there are bad times, there are also good times. It depends on whether we have a reactivity during that moment to which shapes the way we see the world.

No matter how far I seem to escape, I only find that it brought my problems closer because I can never run from myself.

Grand Lake, Colorado.

A different way to life…to better times.