An Interview with Minh Châu Phạm Nguyễn, an Upcoming English Graduate By Klaudia Hanssen

Minh Châu Phạm Nguyễn is an English MA student from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. I spoke to Minh about her university experience in her final year of her degree.

Was becoming a writer something that you always knew that you would end up doing? What made you decide to become a writer?

I like to read and write, so I think I always knew that I wanted to become a writer. When I came to Norway, in the beginning I felt like I didn’t have any language that I could use to describe what I was feeling, and I had a strong interest to express myself. I think this is another reason why I chose to specialise in English, and because it’s a language that I know better than Norwegian.

What made you decided to choose to do a Master degree in English?

I was studying at Newcastle University on their abroad programme in my final year of my bachelor’s degree, when I applied for this [MA] degree. I think a part of me always knew that I wanted to continue studying English, specifically English Literature. When I was studying in England, I knew that I wanted to study in Trondheim, because it felt like home to me. When I was decided on my [MA] degree, it wasn’t just the degree that I took into account, but also the location.

What is your thesis about? And how has your personal perspective influenced it, if at all?

This is my background as a migrant in Norway, which made me decide to think that I want to write about the experience of being an immigrant or refugee. And then I have a desire to write something that will resonate with myself, with my Vietnamese’s identity.

During the last year in the pandemic, finding time to sit down and to write, was that challenging for you?

It was a bit in the beginning, because I haven’t had a summer break last year as that’s when I started to work on my thesis proposal. That was because my thesis supervisor said to everyone in my group that they should continue to work and write on their thesis during the summer. Because of not having had a proper break, I find it hard to sit down and focus on writing. Once I have taken a break for a couple of weeks, I feel like it’s easier to write and focus.

How do you feel about being a few months away from graduating?

I feel that I don’t have enough time to write, but at the same time, I’m thinking that I’m maybe going to have a post-thesis depression. Because I’m feeling that being a student has been my identity since I was a child, so stopping being a student and writing academically will be very sudden and abrupt.

How would you sum up your university experience in a couple of words?

Unique, a bit terrifying, but also meaningful.

How do you feel about finding a job after graduation, especially as you already have a job offer waiting for you?

It will be weird; it won’t be something that I will be used to. I’m not sure if it’ll be harder or easier, but already having a job offer waiting for me, makes me think more positive about my future, because it means that I have at least a choice I can make.