My decision to drop out was met with understandable criticisms from my family.
Some said I was a quitter who’d wasted precious time; others said I’d made a grave mistake in life. It took even more of a toll on my mental health to see my peers graduating school and moving on in life while I was stuck in the same place I’d been three years ago.
Determined not to be a financial burden to my family, I completed my National Service and immediately began working part-time in hospitality.
Working as a bellman in a hotel, I had endless opportunities to meet people from all industries, including individuals in banking and finance. Their sharings about money management and financial independence struck home with me.
One expat shared how he came from an unfortunate background, but worked hard to reach his current occupation as a fund manager, and is now able to care for both himself and his family.
Another told me that nothing beats doing a job you love. She advised me to find something I was passionate about so that I could wake up in the morning feeling motivated, instead of feeling as if my work was a drag or bore.
This made an impression on me as I had previously given up on my passion and interests to pursue something others wanted me to. I also realised that doing random jobs solely for money wasn’t a sustainable fix to my financial problems.
I needed to first understand how money works and how to better manage it.
After years of feeling lost, this felt like a real calling. I wanted to make a positive impact on families like mine — those who may not earn very much, and need help with managing their finances.
But before I could pursue a career in finance, I needed the right qualifications. So I decided to go back to school.
In order to get a good foundation in my studies, I pursued a Higher Nitec in Financial Services at ITE College Central first before continuing with a diploma at a polytechnic.
FOLLOWING MY PASSIONS
I am now in my final year of completing my diploma in banking and finance at Singapore Polytechnic.
Going back to school at a later age has been challenging yet fulfilling. There’s still social stigma, but with my family’s support, I’ve found confidence in working towards a better self.
To fund my education and give back to my parents, I’ve spent the last four years working part-time as a foodpanda delivery partner. The job was recommended to me by a friend given the flexibility to choose my hours — something I needed in order to balance my full-time studies.
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