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Gen Y Speaks

Gen Y Speaks
Gen Y Speaks: The travel bug has lost its hold on me. I haven't travelled since the pandemic and I’m in no hurry Illustration: Nurjannah Suhaimi

Gen Y Speaks: The travel bug has lost its hold on me. I haven't travelled since the pandemic and I’m in no hurry

In the British philosopher Alain de Botton’s book The Art of Travel, there was a mention of well-travelled military man Xavier de Maistre, who wrote a parody travelogue titled Voyage Around My Room.

By Linette Heng

04/06/2023
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Gen Y speaks writer Yap Qian Yin, 33, poses for a photo on May 12, 2023. Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY

Gen Y Speaks: Wheelchair-bound since 17, I finally found a firm that values inclusivity because I refuse to give up

By Yap Qian Yin

28/05/2023
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Pauline Teo, 30, is a full-time tuition teacher and a caregiver to her father, a stroke survivor.

Gen Y Speaks: My dad’s stroke thrust me into a caregiver role at 24. Caring for him became my everything

By Pauline Teo

21/05/2023
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"What started as a dare to myself — to read a poem to a bunch of strangers in a foreign city — has turned into a grand journey that has taken me across the globe and helped me meet people who are now some of my closest friends," says the author.

Gen Y Speaks: Poems can inspire youths — that's what keeps me going as a poet despite self-doubt

By Stephanie Chan

23/04/2023
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The author realised that despite his less than stellar academics, he was more than capable to help others through a rough time during his time in national service.

Gen Y Speaks: I was a spoilt child who fumbled aimlessly through school. Getting back on my feet wasn’t easy

By Roy Lau

16/04/2023
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The author said he had lost the zest and the zip to work after he was issued a performance improvement plan which he had to follow — else the company would review whether he was still a good fit for the job.

Gen Y Speaks: I didn’t do well in my first job. This is how I learnt not to beat myself up over it

By John Lim

02/04/2023
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Gen Y Speaks: I was a rebellious youth who skipped class. But a day in court helped me find my calling

By Aristotle Emmanuel Eng Zhen Yang

12/03/2023
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Gen Y Speaks: Roald Dahl’s rewrites don’t rattle me, because the Twits will still be all right after the tweaks

By Linette Heng

05/03/2023
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Gen Y Speaks: Feeling like a failure since a botched singing performance led me to seek counselling — and find my voice again

By Samantha Ng

26/02/2023
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Mr Geoffrey Toi with his wife, Amelia Teng and their two children, Christopher Toi and Elizabeth Toi, at their home on Jan 12, 2023.

Gen Y Speaks: My child is the only one in Singapore with this disease. Every day he is alive is a blessing to us

By Geoffrey Toi

29/01/2023
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Dr Rachel Tong is the co-founder of Pawlyclinic, a digital veterinarian platform

Gen Y Speaks: Demanding customers, exposure to animal suffering put vets at higher risk of self-harm. But I continue to be one

By Rachel Tong

15/01/2023
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Lee Wei Xiang, 27, is a financial representative at insurer Great Eastern.

Gen Y Speaks: Financial hardship shaped my family’s idea of a 'stable' job. I had to convince them when I chose a different path

By Lee Wei Xiang

08/01/2023
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Ms Zeng Wenjie is a senior teacher in economics at Temasek Junior College and the recipient of the Economic Society of Singapore’s Outstanding Economics Teacher Award 2022.

Gen Y Speaks: Teaching economics is a perpetual challenge, but seeing my students grow keeps me going

By Zeng Wenjie

18/12/2022
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Kenzie Ang is a social media and community manager at Moomoo Singapore. He wrote about his experience transiting from a business he started to a corporate role.

Gen Y Speaks: Many quit their day jobs to be their own boss. I did the opposite

By Kenzie Ang

11/12/2022
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Gen Y Speaks: Salsa taught me about life, leading and loving

Gen Y Speaks: Salsa taught me about life, leading and loving

By John Lim

04/12/2022
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Mr Jamirul Syafiq is a quadriplegic spinal cord injury survivor and a freelance graphic designer for SPD, a charity for the physically disabled. Leonard Leong/TODAY

Gen Y Speaks: I withdrew from the world after a road accident paralysed me. Art made me whole again

I remember growing up as a very active kid, who looked forward to playing football with my friends  almost every day after school.

By Jamirul Syafiq

20/11/2022
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Mr Yeo Sam Jo is a former journalist who works in the media industry. He also co-hosts The SG Boys, a podcast that discusses LGBTQ+ issues in Singapore.

Gen Y Speaks: It took losing my friend to make me realise how I can be a much better friend

By Yeo Sam Jo

13/11/2022
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Ms Veron Ng, who works in the hospitality sector, believes that experiencing fear can also mean moving out of her comfort zone and heading towards growth.

Gen Y Speaks: How my Covid-19 quarantine with a stranger led to a handful of horse poop and a dollop of life lessons

By Veron Ng

06/11/2022
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Living on a single income as a couple and a growing family is not easy, says the author, which is why she understands why most women prefer to work

Gen Y Speaks: I built a successful business when I was younger. But I took a step back to raise my son full time

By Shamsydar Ani

23/10/2022
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The author had been away from a corporate setting for five years, having been running her own business with her husband before becoming a full-time mum.

Gen Y Speaks: I struggled to re-enter the workforce as a full-time mum. This is how I landed my dream job after 2 years

By Ramona Koh Yu Ing

16/10/2022
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Gen Y Speaks: Burnt out and stressed, I turned to yoga to stretch away my workaholic life

By Alvona Loh Zi Hui

02/10/2022
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Gen Y Speaks: Many have left the architecture industry due to low pay, stress. I learned that good culture makes a difference

By Gordon Gn

11/09/2022
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Gen Y Speaks: I ‘settled’ for a stable first job, but now I've found my dream career. It wasn’t easy to switch

By Zhang Jiehuang

04/09/2022
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Masrina Abu Bakar is the main breadwinner in the family while her husband Saiful Amri is a stay-at-home husband.
Gen Y Speaks: I am married to a stay-at-home husband. Despite a difficult start, we made it work

By Masrina Abu Bakar

21/08/2022
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For many years the author had dreams of being a pilot.
Gen Y Speaks: I’ve wanted a flying career my whole life, but Covid-19 grounded my dream. It wasn’t easy to give it up

By Theodon David Teo

14/08/2022
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Gen Y Speaks: I returned to Singapore after 3 years abroad, and needed to learn how to find ‘home’ again
Gen Y Speaks: I returned to Singapore after 3 years abroad, and needed to learn how to find ‘home’ again

By John Lim

07/08/2022
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Mr Jim Ng, 27, is the founder of digital marketing agency Best SEO Marketing.
Gen Y Speaks: I paid thousands to move my home-based startup to an office, only to realise my bedroom was better

By Jim Ng

31/07/2022
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Ms Stacy Chow, 34, is the founder of Baby Express, which sells affordable breast pumps to working mothers.
Gen Y Speaks: I was a dropout and a teenage mum. Now I run a company that helps mothers

By Stacy Chow

24/07/2022
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Ms Suzanna Tang is the co-founder of the social enterprise Urban Origins, a ground-up initiative connecting communities with local urban food.
Gen Y Speaks: I quit a stable job I loved, because the pandemic made me rethink my purpose

By Suzanna Tang

17/07/2022
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<p><span style="background-color:var(--c-body-bg); color:var(--c-text); font-family:var(--ff-text-body); font-size:var(--fs-text-body)">The writer believes that while women can stand their ground and prepare for any microaggression or violence from men, the problem can truly be solved when men and women can respect each other, and that brute force and violence against women are never acceptable in any circumstance.</span></p>
Gen Y Speaks: After a traumatising encounter with a stalker, I decided to learn self-defence and ‘power poses’

By Alvona Loh Zi Hui

10/07/2022
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Mr Frederick Chng,&nbsp;a second-year business analytics student from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, co-founded Rhine Digital, a social discovery platform that connects people with businesses and attractions.
Gen Y Speaks: I fumbled my way into founding a tech firm, after deciding full-time university wasn’t for me

By Frederick Chng Yu Tao

03/07/2022
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<p><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">The author says that his journey as a self-publisher isn’t a story of publishing success, but a story of the realities of being a writer and why one may want to consider it as a budding writer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <br /> &nbsp;
Gen Y Speaks: I've spent large sums to self-publish 2 books. Though only a handful have been sold, I’m not giving up

By John Lim

26/06/2022
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The author does not have Singapore academic qualifications and now runs two businesses.
Gen Y Speaks: I dropped out of school at Pri 4. This is how I carve out a business career

By Annabel Law

19/06/2022
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Gen Y Speaks: I run a cafe for seniors. They teach me it's not too late to start being brave and happy
Gen Y Speaks: I run a cafe for seniors. They teach me it's not too late to start being brave and happy

By Koh Kar Yan

12/06/2022 02 mins
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The author is seen here with photocopies of the drawings made by a janitor from her primary school which she has kept.
Gen Y Speaks: Tribute to my primary school janitor, my unsung hero

By Alvona Loh Zi Hui

05/06/2022
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