HANOI - AMSTERDAM ARTS TEAM (HAT)
My HAT journey began in an empty classroom. In order to become an actor at HAT, I had to pass 2 rounds of audition, and it was my first one. Standing infront of the seniors, I just cried really hard. Somehow, it worked. I was then paired with a girl, given a role to study, and we ultimately passed the second round.
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Unlike other departments, acting only has 5 members, which made it easier to connect with one another.
It was hard work, from waking up at 6am for training sessions to learning scripts 100 pages long, but it was fun every step along the way, and we grew really fond of each other.
2023
For GALA HAT 2024, our club's annual musical, us actors had our work cut out. I still remember the times we got kicked out of the library for being too loud, or when everyone got sick after training in the park under the scorching sun. In our final month before the event, we trained 'til midnight almost everyday, eating and sleeping together.
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In the play, I got the role of a wish-granting demon, which meant I had to learn how the demon walked, talked, and laughed. As an actor, I also learned how to exaggerate my emotions, how to move emphatically, how to stay in character and more.
But I'd be lying if I said I had never thought of quitting. It's demoralizing when you can't execute a scene correctly over and over. I'd do it all over again though
2024
The next year, as Vice-president, I had the freedom to build my own team, to make marketing campaigns my way, and to create plots using my ideas. It was exciting, but also scary. As Vice-president, I had to learn the workings of PR, Finance, Design, things I had never even thought of. I realized, I was no longer just an actor.
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As GALA HAT 2025 came to a close, I naturally had mixed emotions. There were things I wish I could redo, like making the props way too small or choosing the wrong song for the musical. But in the end, HAT gave me everything I could've asked for, and I'm glad to have been part of the club's 15-year journey.
2025
ENGLISH PERFORMANCE (EP)
If HAT was my first club, then EP 2024 was my first musical, taking place just two months before GALA 2024.
Unlike HAT's larger community, EP is predominantly run by students from two english specialization classes, 12A2 and 11A2, creating a very close-knit atmosphere.
2023
EP 2024 had me acting in english, which felt unnatural at first, but we all got used to it. I'll never forget that day when we did our photoshoot. Our session had ended at 5pm, but it rained so hard that we had to wait it out until 9pm.
Since my entire class were members of EP 2024, everyone bonded with each other and got closer. From watching horror movies at the head of finance's house to eating pork sticks at midnight in the theatre, these are memories I could never forget.
2024
For EP 2025, I was elected as the General director, and I encountered a very unique struggle. Members who weren't from the two classes 12A2 and 11A2 had a hard time socializing, since they hadn't known each other previously. So I encouraged everyone to introduce themselves on the group chat and organized outings for each departments.
Those funny texts and long conversations over the meal were some of the most heartwarming moments I've ever had.
2025
