SHENTONISTA

“Working in finance in Hong Kong brings me to many countries including Singapore. plus I love to travel for leisure too! I’ve already made plans to travel around Australia. In fact, I think everyone is rushing out of the country now after spending three years in lockdown.”

“You’d probably never guess that I’m a Physical Education Specialist by my bright and bold dressing. When I was young, my mum liked to dress me in different dresses and hairstyles. That spurred me to become more adventurous with colours, and it’s how I express myself now!”

“Not many people know this, but I’ve been practicing Shintoism for seven years now! I grew up a free-thinker, but light-heartedly sought comfort in the religion while on a trip to Japan during one of the more troubling periods in my life. I was shown a sign after that, and have since fallen in love with the religion after reading up more about it.”

Being alone is inevitable, but I’m terrified of being by myself forever. I’ve been trying to overcome this fear by taking the aspect of eternity away and gradually spending more time alone. Besides, I’ve had to sit with my thoughts a lot as a writer, and it’s given me more clarity and perspective in life for sure.”

“I used to want to be a YouTuber when I was younger, but did a 180 when I dabbled in creative coding in my school’s InfoComm Club and decided to do a double degree in Media Arts and Computer Science. They might seem like two ends of the spectrum, but they’re actually quite similar in nature, because with the technology we have now, it’s only natural to use new tools to create art.”

“At 22, I’m starting to feel the pressure of growing older as my 25-year-old brother just got married. I do want my parents to see my children grow up, but I still have a lot more that I want to achieve and explore before I finally settle down, so I’m not in a hurry.”

“I decided to become a kindergarten teacher because I just love being around children; my students even call me “Mum” sometimes! Even though they’re so young, we’re like good friends, and I’m so happy when I’m with them.”

“I moved to Singapore from China to study because I wanted to get some breathing space and physically distance myself from my parents for a bit so that I have the freedom to pursue my own interests without causing any form of unhappiness at home. Ultimately, I hope that being in Singapore will transform me into a better person—someone that my parents can be proud of.”

“I’m studying Culinary and Business Management in Republic Polytechnic, which used to be something I was passionate about. Sadly, due to the stressful environment, I’ve lost interest in pursuing it professionally. Maybe I’ll try something related to food science, or even enrol in fashion school next.”

“My love for musical theatre started from movie adaptations of musicals. I was also exposed to lesser known classics in my school band and found a deep appreciation for orchestral music. To me, musicals are the full package of performative arts. There’s singing, dancing, acting, live instrumentals—what more can I ask for?”

“I was a hairstylist for 10 years back in Tokyo where I’m from, but I’ve wanted to work overseas since I was a student. When my boss offered me a chance to cut hair in Singapore, I had to say yes.”

“Since moving out, I’ve learnt that it takes a lot of intentional effort to maintain a home. When I lived with my parents, everything ran so smoothly and I never noticed the consistency needed to keep the house running. Even when I was living in hall or abroad on exchange, it always felt temporary, plus I was only in charge of a much smaller space, so living independently in an actual home is quite a change.”