Hustle

With her hair bleached a pale lilac, a fitted black dress accented by silver jewellery pieces is all Samantha needs to have an outfit that is edgy and comfortable at the same time. She didn’t always dress this way though, as we find out later on: “I think my personal style has changed from embarrassing to “okay lah, still can pass” — it used to be all over the place. Bracelets? Doesn’t hurt to have five more. Facial piercings? What’s another two more. My style is a lot more subdued now; I let individual pieces stand out for themselves instead of creating a racket about it.” Her style might be toned down, but the zest she has for life is definitely not waning; her goals for this year include taking the leap of faith to start something of her own. “I meet so many inspiring and creative people every single day that it’s hard to ignore that energy.” That spark to make something of her own could also stem from her drive to have a better future, as she muses about what she would tell her 16-year-old self: “Remember how you envisioned yourself sitting in that European, Godfather-looking house that overlooked your massive tomato vineyard and you thought about how awesome your life has been? Guess what? You’re not going to make it there if you don’t get moving. Trying to be cool is not going to get you there. Don’t be lazy, get inspired, and start creating your future now. This is the best time to hustle.”