At Ethan's old school - Phan Dinh Phung High School, a public school located more than 100 km north of Harmony Town - the class competition points were determined based on strict adherence to the following regulations:
Rule #1: Students must attend school regularly and on time. If absent, a prior written permission slip is required.
Rule #2: Students must wear the proper school uniform with the school emblem. Only sandals with straps or sports shoes are allowed.
Rule #3: Classrooms must be kept clean and tidy at all times.
Rule #4: Female students are not allowed to wear makeup, dye their hair, get tattoos, or alter their uniforms.
Rule #5: Male students must keep their hair neat and trimmed. Long hair, shaved heads, dyed hair, ear piercings, and tattoos are prohibited.
Each class would appoint two Red Stars - a title given to students tasked with monitoring and inspecting other students for any violations of school rules. The Red Stars from one class would inspect students from another class according to a rotating schedule set by the school administration.
Red Stars were usually chosen from among the taller, stronger students who could handle the pressure of the role.
(Well, quite a few Red Stars got ambushed and beaten up by fellow students on their way home from school.)
Up until now, Ethan had only focused on studying and strictly following the school regulations. He never took on any class responsibilities, nor did he ever pay much attention to how class competition points were calculated at his old school.
Class competition points usually had a direct impact on year-end rankings and the benefits for homeroom teachers. Ethan vaguely remembered that his class's competition points at his old school were rated as Satisfactory at the end of the last school year.
Harmony High School, being a private institution, has a slightly different culture compared to public schools.
Harmony High still enforces the basic regulations for students, such as wearing the proper school uniform and attending classes punctually.
The Harmony High uniform is beautifully designed, so almost all male and female students adhere strictly to the dress code.
The school also doesn't interfere too much with students' personal styling choices. In fact, the principal, Ms. Ella Nguyen, even supports the view that looking good can be a motivation for teenagers to attend school.
Therefore, at Harmony High, female students are free to wear makeup and dye their hair. Male students are also allowed to grow their hair to any length they like and can even wear earrings. As long as the styling is tasteful and not too extravagant, it's acceptable.
For example, students are not allowed to dye their hair in more than two colors at once. Earrings are permitted, but only on the ears - not anywhere else on the body. Tattoos, if any, are best kept hidden.
Violations of the school's aesthetic guidelines typically result in individual reminders and do not affect the collective performance of the class.
As for the so-called class competition points - Harmony Points - they are based on the number of Events organized by Harmony High that a student participates in.
Ethan opened the Harmony High Online app on his phone and was horrified when he saw the schedule of events planned for the first semester at Harmony High.
"Every time a student participates in an event, they earn 10 Harmony Points for their class,"
Lucas briefly explained the system of collecting Harmony Points.
August seemed pretty relaxed with just one event: Back to School Day.
10HP - August 1: Back to School Day
September also looked manageable with only two events.
10HP - September 5: Opening Ceremony
30HP - September 29: Harmony Spirit Day - Launch of the 'Take Care of the Girls for Vietnamese Women's Day' event. This event runs for three weeks.
October, however, was a true nightmare for an introvert like Ethan, with a packed schedule of events.
10HP - October 6: Mid-Autumn Festival - Moon Viewing Festival
10HP - October 20: Vietnamese Women's Day
30HP - October 31: Harmony Spirit Day - Halloween Costume Festival
Lucas then listed a series of details about 11D's current Harmony Points situation:
"For the August 1st Back to School event and the September 5th Opening Ceremony, our class 11D is 40 HP behind the other classes. It's because Autumn was absent, and Camellia is under the Homeschooling program."
"For the September 29th event - Take Care of the Girls for Vietnamese Women's Day - our class 11D is 20 HP behind other classes. That's because you and Royce didn't take care of the 'Princesses' you drew for Week 1."
"On Monday, when I was sitting in the 'Lonely Corner,' I saw a lot of guys not participating in that event. I bet other classes lost points there too."
Ethan recalled.
"Oh, if the 'Princesses' voluntarily refuse the 'Caregiver,' the 'Caregiver' still gets the full 10 HP. I hope you and Royce will take care of your 'Princesses' during Week 2 and Week 3."
Lucas sighed, looking at Ethan with hopeful eyes.
But Ethan was left stunned. Because if he were to go back and take care of Anya and Yara, it would mean dealing with the entire Femme Fatale group.
"Additionally, if everyone attends school regularly, by the end of the month, each student contributes 10 HP to the class. Here, our class lost 60 HP because Autumn missed all of August, half of September, and the first few days of October. Royce missed the last days of September and the first days of October. And you, Ethan, missed the very first day of September."
"Assuming all classes participate fully in the upcoming events, our class will still be perpetually behind by 120 HP. But I suspect that Autumn and Royce will 'help' widen that gap even more with their 'dedicated attendance' - just like last year. And Camellia won't be able to attend events directly either."
Lucas's voice was heavy with resignation. But then, determination flared up in his eyes.
"So, we have to find ways to earn extra points through side activities during events. Joining the dance team for the October 20th Vietnamese Women's Day event is one example. Just by dancing, we can earn an extra 50 HP."
"But what's the benefit of Harmony Points, Lucas?"
Ethan asked a critical question.
"Oh, so you're practical after all, Ethan!"
"I just want to optimize my time for studying."
Ethan smiled slightly.
"Harmony Points are super valuable! At the end of the school year, based on the total points earned, the top three classes out of the twelve at Harmony High are ranked. First place gets a 5 million VND prize, second gets 3 million, and third gets 1 million."
"Honestly, that reward doesn't seem worth all the effort, Lucas"
Ethan made a cold observation.
"That's not all. This is the real kicker. The value of Harmony Points goes beyond just competition. The student record at Harmony High includes a section that evaluates and recognizes participation in extracurricular activities and school events. These achievements are extremely important for university admissions. Many universities are now switching from entrance exams to evaluations based on high school achievements."
"I feel like focusing on mastering one subject and achieving a National Excellence Award would optimize time and effort better."
"That's true, but since all the smart kids are aiming for that, it's really hard to stand out. If you also have extracurricular achievements, your university application will shine. Just think about it - who do you think girls would like more? A guy who's just good at studying or one who's both smart and a great dancer?"
Lucas kept trying to persuade Ethan. Ethan was starting to feel slightly swayed by the benefits of collecting Harmony Points.
"At the end of 12th grade, there's a final evaluation. The graduating student with the highest Harmony Points total in the entire 12th grade gets a full-ride scholarship for the first year at Symphony International University. You got into Harmony High with a scholarship too, right, Ethan?"
"Plus, there's another condition,"
Simon added.
"That student must also come from the class that ranks first in Harmony Points after three years. An outstanding individual has to come from an outstanding group."
Ethan's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe that a full scholarship to a prestigious and expensive school like Symphony International University could be achieved simply by participating in extracurricular activities during high school.
"I don't think I have any shot at Symphony International University. I only started at Harmony High this year, in 11th grade. My Harmony Points are probably at the very bottom of the entire school."
Ethan said while opening the Harmony High Online app to check his personal Harmony Points.
30 HP - Ethan Duong - 11D
Sure enough, his Harmony Points weren't exactly at the very bottom, but they were among the lowest in the entire school - barely on par with the 10th graders.
But this only sparked Ethan's competitive spirit.
From the bottom to the top - now that was a challenge worthy of someone who always craved to conquer the highest peaks.