Coming Of Age

Please introduce yourself.
Hi, my name is Hui Yi. I’m a year 3 student from SMU, School of Social Sciences.

We heard that you have a background in media—what made you decide on this course?
Yeah, I was doing media and comms in poly, but I figured that I wanted to do something different, and I had the privilege to choose. So I was thinking maybe sociology would be interesting, and therefore I chose social sciences.

What part of it do you enjoy most?
I enjoy being able to learn and understand what’s happening in society from a different perspective. Without certain theories or frameworks, I don’t think I’d be able to view some issues or phenomena the way I do now. So for me, it’s really about expanding my perspective and gaining new ways of thinking about things, which I truly appreciate.

Since you’re going to graduate soon, any ideas on what you want to pursue career-wise?
Not really. As of now, I know that want to do something human-centric, because that’s something that I like. And perhaps something that is a little bit more creatively stimulating, not necessarily art, but I think something that challenges me creatively would be ideal. So I’m just hoping to find that sweet balance between earning a living, but also doing something that I find fulfilling.

That’d be ideal! Now on to fashion—who or what are some of your fashion inspirations?
I’m really inspired by Japanese streetwear, especially styles that lean slightly toward Lolita fashion—though not the full-on fluffy dresses, as much as I wish I could pull that off (laughs)! I’m drawn to details like ruffles and lace, which I really enjoy. More specifically, I love 1960s Japanese street fashion—it’s super cute and had a lot of American influence at the time, which makes it even more interesting. For makeup, I’m into the Twiggy-inspired aesthetic, with individual lashes and bold, exaggerated eyeliner. I think that look is really playful and charming.

It seems like you’re very well informed on fashion history. Do you read up a lot on it?
I mostly just browse online. I think with Instagram especially, there are so many people creating content and showcasing different styles. When I come across something that resonates with me, it often turns out to be from Vietnamese or Thai fashion creators—especially recently. I really like what they do, so I’ll follow them, and then Instagram will keep showing me more in that vein. Otherwise, I use Pinterest. They often repost scans of old magazines, which I love. I’m not sure where else to find those kinds of references, so Pinterest has been a great source for that.

Cool! Apart from fashion, what are your other interests or hobbies?
I like cooking—I go to sleep thinking about what to make for breakfast. I’m constantly thinking about what food to make next. So yeah, I am quite the foodie; I like to cook and bake.

What’s your signature dish?
I would say banana bread. I actually used to make these banana bread chocolate chip cookies but my partner hates it. He thinks it’s gross but I think it’s really nice (laughs).

Yum! We’d eat them! What’s one thing that you want to learn how to cook?
Pasta! I want to make my own pasta from scratch—that’ll be really nice.

Since the year is coming to a close, what’s one lesson you’ve learned this year?
One lesson I’ve learned recently is that I need to start taking myself more seriously. I’m at that in-between stage, so I guess you could call it early adulthood. I’ve technically been an adult for two years, but it doesn’t always feel that way. If I really want to move towards my goals, I need to start believing in myself more and giving myself the chance to say, “Yeah, maybe I can do this,” or “Maybe I am capable and good at something.”

So, in short, I think the lesson I’ve learned is about building confidence.

What’s this goal you’re working towards?
I guess to be happy with who I am. A lot of the time, even with something as simple as participating in class or talking to someone new, my lack of confidence shows through. It’s not just about being shy, it’s more about not feeling fully confident in who I am or not feeling entirely happy with the version of myself I’m putting out there. I think I can definitely work on being better at hyping myself up.