Phan Tuyet Nga (Tiktoker: Nga Bom) – an alumni of Cohort 7 of IBD@NEU, is now a Content Creator for the Thung Long Family on Tiktok channel, with millions of followers. Her story is not just a journey of pursuing passion, but also a vivid testament to the value that IBD@NEU brings: “nurturing and unleashing the creativity within each student
Before becoming a student of the International Bachelor’s Program – IBD@NEU, She described herself as rather quiet and reserved, never imagining she would one day stand in front of a camera or thousands of viewers. But it was the dynamic, open, and opportunity-rich learning environment at IBD@NEU that transformed her.
“IBD@NEU is the place that made me dare to step out of my comfort zone. There, friends were energetic, lecturers encouraged students to speak up, and extracurricular activities let me truly ‘live my youth to the fullest.'”
IBD@NEU – Where Phan Tuyet Nga Found Her Stage and First Fell in Love with Dance
Orientation Week was the very first milestone that helped Bom find her footing and discover the joy of genuine connection. Through team games, group activities, and student events, she came to realize that everyone has their own unique strength to shine. For her, that was unmistakably music and dance. That passion quickly outgrew a personal hobby. During her time at IBD@NEU, Bom co-founded and served on the executive board of the IBD Dancing Club (IDC), which was the creative space that brought together students who shared the same love for the arts. Organizing events, directing performances, and guiding fellow members along the way, she was quietly building the leadership skills, creative thinking, and collaborative mindset that would later become the very foundation of her content career.
“Back then, we were juggling classes, organizing events, and preparing for performance concepts all at the same time. Looking back, those were genuinely my very first pieces of content.”
The dynamic, close-knit learning environment at IBD@NEU – where Nga Bom found like-minded friends to truly live their youth to the fullest
Through creating videos for IBD students, she gradually discovered something she hadn’t quite been able to name before the deep satisfaction of producing content that brings positive energy to the people watching. That feeling would go on to become the defining spirit of the million-view TikTok channel, Thung Long Family.
It was during her years at IBD@NEU that Bom’s love for art and creativity was truly awakened and nurtured more powerfully than ever. The open, expressive learning environment – one that actively encouraged students to put themselves out there which gave her the space to pour herself wholeheartedly into dance. Which motivated her to start as an enthusiastic participant in the program’s artistic activities, then gradually stepped into a leadership role, boldly founding the Dance Club from the ground up. There, she didn’t just perform and create; she learned to tell stories through movement, through emotion, through the eyes of someone who knows how to connect.
“Something I’ve always noticed is that IBD@NEU graduates tend to be remarkably strong communicators and I think it really comes down to how much presenting we did, especially in our final year. Almost every single week, we were up in front of the class. At first, speaking in front of a crowd was genuinely nerve-wracking. But over time, it just became second nature completely normal. That consistency is what built my confidence. It became my stepping stone, my launchpad. Because now, I can stand in front of a much larger audience without hesitation. There have even been moments where I’ve spoken to thousands of people at once.”
The passion for dance and content creation that led her to her true calling
Those experiences didn’t just shape her into a professional Content Creator, they made her someone who genuinely inspires others, particularly young people still searching for their own path.
The seeds of content creation were planted early, right from Bom’s first years at IBD@NEU. Back then, making videos was nothing more than a source of joy after class, its a way for her and her friends to hold onto the happy, fleeting moments of student life. Without any strategy or master plan in place, those early videos quietly found an audience and began to spread further than she had ever anticipated.
Then the pandemic hit. That abrupt pause unexpectedly opened a door, a chance for Bom and her husband to start fresh and give it a real shot. To their surprise, those simple, heartfelt videos were met with an outpouring of warmth. The positive response from viewers became a powerful source of energy, giving the couple the confidence and conviction to seriously commit to the creative path.
From that point on, Thung Long Family was officially born. That journey has now spanned more than five years, with hundreds of videos bringing laughter and positive energy to a community that keeps growing.
Thung Long Family – Spreading Positive Energy and Meaningful Values, One Video at a Time
As an alumni who has been through the IBD@NEU experience firsthand, Bom has one heartfelt message for current students: “make the absolute most of every opportunity and every resource this program puts in front of you”. It’s easy, she admits, to go through the motions, to treat group assignments, presentation sessions, or extracurricular activities as things to simply get through. But those are precisely the experiences that stay with you long after graduation.
“Trust me – once you’re out in the real world, every skill IBD@NEU has given you, from communication and teamwork to carrying yourself with professionalism, will matter more than you ever expected,” she shared. “And honestly, confidence alone already accounts for 50% of success. The moment you truly believe in yourself, you’re already capable of going incredibly far.”
Five Years of Creative Partnership with her Husband and Counting
From a dance-loving, endlessly imaginative IBD@NEU student to the co-creator of one of social media’s most warmly followed family channels, Bom has never stopped being grateful for the years that shaped her. IBD@NEU gave her the courage to explore her own potential, to push past her own limits, and to live fully and fearlessly in her passion. Thung Long Family is not just the result of a love for creativity, it is a living, breathing testament to the “dare to think, dare to do” spirit that IBD@NEU has always strived to ignite in every single student.
