After wanting to quit her job more than a dozen times, this Gen Z girl realized how much she had "grown up" at Dai Nam.

On her first day at Dai Nam University, Le Tam Nhi thought she was wearing a "shirt that was too big." More than a year later, the girl born in 2003 realized that it wasn't the shirt that had gotten smaller, but rather she herself had grown after facing real-world situations, participating in major programs, and even moments when she felt like she couldn't go on.

Le Tam Nhi during the process of organizing major programs and events at Dai Nam University.

Le Tam Nhi's arrival at Dai Nam University was quite accidental. One day, while browsing TopCV, she saw a job posting for an event organizer position and simply thought, "Well, I'll give it a try." Nhi had never been a Dai Nam University student, nor had she ever worked in an educational environment. Having studied Economics and gained experience in the technology sector, she entered the university with a little experience, a lot of excitement, and also a considerable amount of apprehension.

More than a year later, looking back, what Nhi remembers is not just the brightly lit stages or shows with thousands of people, but also the times she didn't know where to begin, the days working late into the night, the moments she cried from pressure, and the dozens of times she wondered, "Should I quit?" But in the end, she stayed, and it was during those times when she repeatedly wanted to give up that Nhi realized how much she had changed.

From a "let's see how it goes" attempt to the oversized shirt named Dai Nam.

In her early days at Dai Nam University, Nhi quickly realized that organizing events at a university was very different from what she had imagined. A program wasn't just about a beautiful stage, good sound, or a script running on time; behind it all lay the experiences of the students, the emotions of the staff, faculty, parents, and guests; the image of the university; and a series of tasks from content, communication, logistics, technical support, student affairs, reception, to operations, all requiring seamless coordination. A newcomer like Nhi had to learn how to find her place in that workflow.

From her early days of uncertainty, Tam Nhi gradually learned how to coordinate, handle tasks, and take charge of large-scale programs.

There were times when the unit's staff changed, the workload increased, and Nhi felt lost, unsure where to begin and unsure of the skills needed to work in event management within an educational environment. During those times, she reached out to her colleagues. From the Cultural & Events Center to the Communications Department, the Youth Union, and other related units, each program provided Nhi with more people to work with, ask questions, and solve problems together.

She learned as she went, making mistakes and correcting them along the way; she asked questions when she didn't know something, found solutions to problems, and sought out the right people for collaborations. After each program, Nhi would reflect on what she had accomplished and identify areas for improvement. What initially seemed like an insurmountable challenge gradually became a platform for the young woman to learn the trade through hands-on experience.

K19, The Beauty of Dai Nam and the times I wanted to give up

One of the first major programs Nhi was deeply involved in organizing was the Welcome Ceremony for New Students of the 2019 cohort. For a girl born in 2003 with little experience in the educational environment, the scale of the program and the numerous tasks requiring coordination were a real test. There, Nhi began to understand that a large program is made up of many interconnected elements: a change in the stage can affect the content; an adjustment in the script can involve technical aspects, media, students, or logistics. Nhi learned how to take on her responsibilities, coordinate with colleagues, handle unforeseen situations, and learn from each experience.

Then came Huong Sac Dai Nam, a program that returned after 11 years, so many aspects had to be developed, discussed, and adjusted by the team during implementation. For Nhi, this was another new and more difficult challenge. There were days when she went to sleep but still thought about work; at times, Nhi felt she couldn't do it, crying while texting her superiors, and the question "should I quit?" crossed her mind more than once.

But the work had to continue. Together with her colleagues, she tackled each problem, breaking down large tasks into smaller ones. Some plans had to be changed, some tasks had to be redone, and sometimes she had to ask for help from more experienced people. Through these experiences, Nhi understood that professional growth isn't about solving everything alone, but also about knowing her responsibilities, when to collaborate, when to ask for help, and when to report so that problems can be addressed more quickly.

The Grand Finale of Huong Sac Dai Nam has come to an end. After days of tension, the whole team sat together for a celebratory meal, and Nhi cried a lot. Perhaps those tears contained exhaustion, relief, and joy after a journey that she had at times thought she couldn't complete. The program has ended, but the young people who emerged from it have changed a little.

I've wanted to quit more than a dozen times, so why did I stay?

Tam Nhi once jokingly said that Dai Nam gave her a job and "included" a free weight loss program. On her first day of work, she weighed about 70kg, and after more than a year, she had lost 8kg. But weight was only the most noticeable change; the bigger change lay in how she viewed her work.

Nhi recounted: “I had to learn how to coordinate with many departments, navigate various demands, and find the right solution. More importantly, I began to understand that organizing events at a university is not simply about putting on a show and getting it over with.”

A freshman orientation stage can be a young person's first memory of their chosen university. A cultural program can create opportunities for faculty, staff, and employees to connect. An activity for students can become a story they will remember about their university life many years later.”

Huong Sac Dai Nam is one of the programs that left a lasting impression on Tam Nhi's journey of growth at the school.

Perhaps that's one of the reasons why the girl who had thought about quitting more than a dozen times still chose to stay. Not because the work suddenly became easier, but because Nhi began to see the meaning behind what she and her colleagues were doing together. A good program doesn't just end when the stage lights go out; it can leave a beautiful memory for the students, create connections, and become a part of Dai Nam's life.

Given the opportunity to grow.

What Nhi cherishes after more than a year at Dai Nam is not how many programs she participated in, but the space she was given to challenge herself. There were things she didn't know at first, ideas she had to implement before realizing they weren't right, and mistakes she only learned from experience to avoid them next time.

Nhi is grateful to her manager for giving her enough "space" to experiment, innovate, and take responsibility for her work. There aren't always ready-made formulas or someone to guide her step-by-step. This space forced her to learn on her own, proactively ask questions, learn from colleagues, and gradually develop her own working methods.

From a task they didn't know how to do, a trial assignment, a colleague offering an additional method, a mistake they made and had to correct… to one day, looking back, the things that once terrified them have become things they can calmly face. That's also what Dai Nam wants to offer young people: giving them opportunities to test their abilities, but at the same time giving them responsibility so that each person can develop their skills through real work.

"The 'shirt' hasn't gotten smaller, the wearer has gotten bigger."

Over a year ago, Le Tam Nhi entered Dai Nam feeling like she was wearing a shirt that was too big for her. Today, the stages are still as big, the work still has its stressful days, and the programs ahead still present unsolved problems. Nhi still doesn't think she's good enough.

But unlike the first day, the 2003-born girl has learned that if she doesn't know something, she can learn; if it's difficult, she can find a way; if she can't solve it alone, she can cooperate; if she makes mistakes, she can correct them, and after each setback, she must be better than she was before. That shirt has never become too small, only the person wearing it has grown a little bigger.

After each program, Tam Nhi gains another experience, a lesson, and the confidence to continue on her career journey.

And perhaps that's the most memorable thing about Tam Nhi's more than a year at Dai Nam. It's not a story about a young person accomplishing something extraordinary, but rather the very real journey of a girl who started with little experience, was given tasks, tested her abilities, worked alongside colleagues, experienced pressure, sometimes wanted to give up, but then day by day developed her skills and found meaning in her work.

Being challenged to discover their capabilities; facing setbacks to understand their shortcomings; being accompanied so they don't have to find their way alone; and being given responsibility to grow day by day through their own abilities. That's also how young people at Dai Nam Unleash Their Identity - Illuminate Their Journey.