When asked where she finds inspiration, Yang thinks for a while. Then her face lights up. “Hanbin!” she says. “He’s in a K-pop band called
Tempest. Hanbin’s from a small country like me. He was just a dancer from the street in Vietnam, but he achieved his dream of being a K-pop idol. He made the impossible thing possible. In the past I thought a lot of things were impossible, but he made me think differently about life, not just the K-pop industry. Nothing is impossible if you try.” Yang is currently studying for a
Diploma of Communication at UTS College, after completing
UTS Foundation Studies. She says, “I come from Laos, but my background is Vietnamese. Both my parents are from Vietnam.”
Australia was top of mind as a study destination when Yang was growing up. “I’d heard people talking about how it’s a multicultural country, which I really like. And I wanted to see what it’s like to study there, how the people are, and experience the culture,” she says.
She’s been here for more than a year now and it suits her. “I really like the lifestyle. I’m quite adapted to Australia, except for one thing – I miss the food from my home country. But I can cook some homestyle meals for myself. Sometimes I go to Cabramatta to eat Vietnamese food. I think my favourite thing to buy there is sugar cane drink. It’s so good! I’d also like to try some of the Lao restaurants there. I want to find a good Lao papaya salad.”
Dancing into an ambassador role Yang has brought her love of K-pop with her, and her passion for dancing. She says, “I’ve been trying to get into a dance crew since I’ve been here. I’m not a member yet, but I’ve danced in some videos for Maverick (a Sydney K-pop dance crew). And I’m auditioning for
KUTS, the UTS K-pop club.”Another thing Yang brought with her was a large TikTok following. She says, “My content is mostly dancing, and I also do some vlogs about my daily life – that sort of thing.”
That social media know-how has served Yang well in her role as a
Student Ambassador. “I didn’t know much about student ambassadors at first. Then someone let me know the College was looking for student ambassadors to do social media and stuff. I was doing a lot of videos at the time, and they were like, ‘You’d be the right person for this, you should apply!’” she says.
It's been a valuable experience for her. She says, “It’s fun, and it’s boosted my confidence. I’ve gained a lot of experience. I’m quite introverted, but as a student ambassador I talk to a lot of new people. Now I can approach people and be the first one to talk. I like the feeling that I can help them. When students have questions about Sydney and UTS, how people live, where to find cheap food, I like that we can share information face to face. I want to leave a good impression with all the people I help. Also, I’m learning many new things.”
From dance crew to production crew Now in the final stages of her Diploma of Communication at UTS College, Yang’s next step is a
Bachelor of Communication at UTS. She says, “I’m pursuing
Media Arts and Production. Back in Laos, I got to do some volunteer projects and I was in the production crew, so I have some experience.” She says coming to UTS College has given her a great start. “It’s helped a lot,” she says. “It’s good having a campus in the heart of Sydney. There are plenty of things to do. And the College has lots of programs to help students, like HELPS Centre. There’s
lots of support.”
One thing at a time Juggling her studies, ambassador duties, dancing commitments, and a part-time job keeps Yang busy, but she has a strategy for staying on top of it all. She says, “When I do something, I focus on that thing. When I work, I work, and when I dance, I put everything aside and just do that. I focus on one thing at a time.”
She has another tip for international students: “Don’t be afraid to do new things. I know a lot of people from countries like mine are afraid people around will judge them if they try something new,” she says, “but it’s different here. So do the things you really want. Be open.”
Want to learn more about student life at UTS College? Chat with Yang or our other student ambassadors now.
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