Five minutes into the lecture, he rushed in, saying, "Sorry, sir, I finished my recording session a little late." The moment the bell rang signaling the end of class, he grabbed his bag and dashed out to the parking lot like a bullet… That's the image that journalism students are familiar with of Le Mai Huong Tra. For us, balancing studying and earning money to support ourselves, and determined to turn our dreams into reality, has become a way of life.
Launchpad from the lecture hall
Huong Tra's schedule is always packed: waking up at 6 a.m., preparing paperwork at 7:30 a.m. and heading to Vietnam Television to film a documentary, contacting schools for programs, and preparing music videos until almost noon. She has to be back at school by 1 p.m. Evenings are dedicated to studying and preparing program scripts… Time for rest is zero, even on days off. Starting a new day at 2 a.m. might seem difficult to most people, but for television journalism students like Thu Ha, it's normal. Leaving at 2 a.m. with everything they need: lights, cameras, raincoats, scripts… Working through the night to capture scenes and returning home at 11 p.m. is not uncommon for television journalism students.
"I didn't follow my father's wishes for medicine, nor did I want to settle for teaching as my mother expected. I chose journalism, a path no one in my family had ever taken. And I found my own way to make a living from it. At school, we learned a lot, and the teachers were very dedicated, but I wasn't satisfied. That's why many of us found our own learning methods through practical experience. I didn't want to just sit and listen to theory. I certainly didn't think opportunities would come to me automatically. I sought out opportunities, and those opportunities accepted me. Two years of studying in the lecture halls and practicing in the studio were two years in which I grew, understood more, and came to love this demanding profession of journalism. Journalism students aren't simply dynamic as people often say, but rather they are constantly active and proactive. And I am just one of those students who don't want to wait for opportunities to come to them."Le Mai Huong Tra (K49 BC&TT)
The Center for Journalism and Communication Studies, part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has long been a second home for students of the Journalism and Communication Faculty. It's where their first films were made. And from this shared home, they became valuable collaborators for television stations even while still in university. Thu Ha, Li Na (K47), Nhat Minh, Tuan Anh, My Hanh (K48), Thuy Tien, Thu Thao, Chi Kien (K49), Thanh Vu, Thu Yen, Thuy Ngan, Manh Thai, Dinh Minh (K50), Trung Nghia, Hoang Anh, Phuong Hong (K51), Lo Linh, Trung Hieu, Thai Ha (K53)… are MCs and "sethands" for many programs on VTV3 and VTV6. Each of them found their own way to immerse themselves in reality. After each mandatory class, Kap Thanh Long (K46 Journalism and Communication) spent almost all his remaining time wandering around "hunting" for topics to write about. Just as he was about to go to bed, the newsroom announced a fire at Ha Dong market. His sleep was interrupted. He'd hop on his motorbike and speed off to gather information. He'd only return to his room at five in the morning, exhausted, but with a big grin on his face because his article was finished. Despite the hardship, by his second year he was able to support himself with his writing fees, and his name appeared frequently in newspapers. "Kap Thanh Long" became a "brand" that earned him the respect of his friends and served as an example for subsequent cohorts to follow. From their second and third years of university, many student names became familiar in several major newspapers: Bui Dung (K45), Dinh Nha Trang (K47), Xuan Dong, Dinh Tu (K48), Lam Hoai, Quang Phong, The Kha (K49), Tien Thanh (K51) in Tuoi Tre; Kap Thanh Long (K46), Minh Thuy, Nguyen Ha, Luu Trinh (K49), Pham Hue (K50) in Tien Phong; Le Tan (K46), Van Huyen, Chien Thang (K47), Mai Tuyet, To Nga (K48), Thu Thuy (K50), Nguyen Hoai, Dang Ha, Dang Hau (K51), Nguyen Tuan, Thanh Chung, Tien Thanh (K52)... in many major newspapers. Names like Le Mai Huong Tra, Thu Trang, Trung Nghia (VTV6), Thu Ha (Evening News)... have become familiar to television viewers.
What our professors provided us in university is an incredibly important foundation for our careers. But that alone isn't enough. The fast-paced world demands that we constantly refresh ourselves to update our knowledge of society. This is a vital requirement for journalists. For journalism students, it's even more essential to accumulate the knowledge needed for a successful career later on.Dinh Hau (K52 BC&TT)
Eating fast, sleeping fast, speaking fast, thinking fast, and making money fast... These are the "five fasts" of journalists. People often joke about this identifying characteristic of ours. And in that dynamic environment, each second and third-year student class successively forms million-dollar clubs (earning millions of VND per month from royalties) to support themselves and nurture their dreams. Minh Thuy (K49 Journalism and Communication) confided: "Life doesn't allow us to passively absorb theory from the lecture hall. We want to assert ourselves and enhance our self-worth, so we have to act!" After four years of hard work in the lecture hall and actively engaging in life, Minh Thuy joined the Tien Phong daily newspaper. Currently, he is a resident reporter for Tien Phong in Ha Tinh, two years after graduation.
We act = we exist
"Journalism students are dynamic," students from other departments often say. And in reality, journalism students are always expected to be dynamic individuals. This is a professional requirement, as well as a demand of reality. Kap Thanh Long expressed his view: "The information technology age forces us to be dynamic. Relying solely on what teachers impart in class will not meet the demands of life. We must find ways to throw ourselves into reality; that environment will give us much experience for our future work." Currently, Long is the Head of the Thanh Nien newspaper's representative office in the Red River Delta region.
In my eyes, the students of the Journalism and Communication Faculty are always admirable. They are not only students of the Journalism Faculty, which consistently ranks among the top-scoring institutions in the university entrance exams, but also incredibly dynamic individuals. Talking to them always gives me the feeling of facing someone far more mature in age and life experience.Thanh Trung (K53 TT-TV)
After four years pursuing a career in television, with the knowledge she gained from university and three years of experience as a collaborator for Vietnam Television (VTV), Thu Ha was ready for the rigorous selection process upon graduation. Her graduation thesis was a television production that she filmed, wrote the script for, and narrated herself. “Specialized knowledge is very important, but practical experience is equally crucial. My time collaborating with VTV gave me the confidence and resilience I needed after graduation. The monthly salary was only four or five hundred thousand dong, not enough to cover food and transportation costs, but we learned a lot of valuable practical experience. At least, after graduation, we won't be so unfamiliar with the job. You have to learn to swim so you don't drown later!” Ha confided. After two years of working as a dedicated contributor to the "Fairy Tale Garden" program, Huong Tra has decided to dedicate herself to the profession: "I will stick with television and children's programs to the end. My dream is to create my own children's television channel someday. And I will start preparing for that plan right now." From "Fairy Tale Garden" to "Golden Bell Ringing," then "Do Re Mi," after completing her Master's program, the fairy from "Fairy Tale Garden" is currently studying in France on a scholarship she secured during her work. As soon as the bell rang signaling the end of class, Tien Thanh (K52 Journalism and Communication) sped off like a bullet, taking only 49 seconds to get his car and disappear into the bustling crowd. Today's young people plunge into the flow of people, life, and the information highway to assert their existence in this world. And a car can only stand still when it rolls forward. As for us, we act = we exist.
