In Refuge

Tell us more about yourself!
I turned 30 this year, and am currently taking my degree in interior design at LASALLE. I also work as an audio engineer, but right now, what matters most to me is that I make full use of my time here in college because I feel I’m given liberties here that I won’t have once I start working.

Oh cool—two different fields! Maybe you could first tell us more about what you do you do as an audio engineer?
My main job scope is to remaster and digitise historic recordings so that schools and museums can use them in a format that is more readily accessible.

Prior to this, I actually studied music and audio, and that was what I felt was my passion for the longest time, but I’m beginning to feel that maybe I’m not 100% passionate in it compared to my peers, and I might need something else as a backup just in case another pandemic happens, which is what led me here.

Why interior design, then?
I feel like the industry is doing relatively well now. There were recent policies passed that limit the number of new builds, so a lot old the new spatial design projects that we’ll see in the future will be more of the interior scale rather than the architectural one, so it’s a good time to be in this field. Plus, I feel like I have some passion for it.

That’s a very logical way of viewing it! Between work and school, how doc you enjoy spending your free time?
Unfortunately, I don’t have as much free time as I did last time, but when I can, I like to go for art, music, and design-related events. I try to squeeze as much as possible into my schedule, and I really enjoy meeting new people and dressing up for school. I always try to dress in a way that portrays I’m openly queer, so that younger queers will feel safe in my presence.

That’s so nice! If you’re comfortable sharing, could you tell us more about what it’s like being queer in Singapore?
It’s definitely a very different experience now that I’m in what most people would consider a liberal arts college. People are a lot more accepting here and there’s this common understanding where we let people express themselves however they want. But I also realise that this might just be a bubble, because outside of this community, attitudes might not be the same.

Let’s say I were to dress up like this for school, but go to Chinatown or Bugis, Geylang Serai or Little India after. I would get dirty looks there, and people would scrutinise what gender I’m supposed to be. This used to bother me much more when I was younger, but now, I’m more selective about whose opinions I truly care about. Now, I like the power of being able to determine how people perceive my gender based on how I dress. I like knowing that I could potentially ruin someone’s day just by dressing the way I do (laughs).

You go! We love that unapologetically authentic spirit! Now that you’re officially in your thirties, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to others who are still in their early twenties?
That’s it’s okay to continue making mistakes. We all do, and we never stop learning. In hindsight, the day you’ll feel most free of your mental woes is when you learn to forgive yourself for the mistakes that you made back when you didn’t know any better.