For many of us living and studying in Singapore, a rough idea of what our life will look like would have been laid out for us. After completing a Polytechnic diploma, we will then go on to get a degree, then a high-paying job, a family, a house, and the list goes on.
For Si Jia, her path looked a little different. After her time at Temasek Polytechnic (TP), she went on to take a gap year. Though it wasn’t part of her initial plan, it was one that was necessary as it shaped her identity and her passion in the social sector. We sat down with her to hear the stories she had to share and the lessons she took away during her gap year!
PP: Hello! Please introduce to yourself 😊
SJ: Hi! I am Si Jia, a graduate from TP Culinary and Catering Management in 2015! I am currently working as a Social Worker after graduating from Singapore University of Social Sciences Bachelor in Social Work.
PP: How was your gap year like?
SJ: Most of my gap year was spent working part-time, travelling the Asia region and volunteering! The money I earned from my part-time job funded my travels to 6 cities across Asia - Bali, Japan, Ipoh, Penang, Taiwan and Bintan!
Si Jia (second from right) and her friends at a train station in Japan.
Aside from travelling, I also volunteered at various organizations. There were many opportunities available through giving.sg. On this note on volunteering, my friend and I went on to start an outreach to one of the poorest communities in Singapore, Jalan Kukoh.
Jalan Kukoh was a place where you can find broken syringes along the drains and yet there are children running around and playing–It’s a whole new world. After supper at Maxwell Food Centre, we met an uncle living in this community. After that encounter with him, my friend and I decided to go to Jalan Kukoh to find him on another day.
This sparked my friend and me to start an initiative to reach out to the residents at Jalan Kukoh. We would go around and knock on people’s doors, start conversations and give them some daily necessities with the little that we have.
During the Christmas season, we also gathered a group of friends to bless the community with bento sets and brought the Christmas spirit through carolling!
Si Jia and her friends carolling at Jalan Kukoh.
PP: Why did you take a gap year?
SJ: Upon graduation, I was certain that I did not want to continue in the culinary industry and did not want to further my studies at university. I took a gap year to have the time and space for myself to explore my passion, purpose and calling!
PP: What are the pros and cons of taking a gap year?
SJ: Taking a gap year allowed me to have the time and place to explore interests and passions in life as I wasn’t tied down to commitments. It really helped me to open my eyes to see the broken people in society and that Singapore is not as happy and dandy as it looks on the surface.
This was most probably the only time in my life where I could take an extended rest. My mother once said “ 休息是为了走更远的路”, which translate to, rest is important for the long journey ahead. I was able to rest well in the gap year and was indeed essential for the journey I have taken so far.
Even though having freedom during gap year was good, there was a price to pay as well. The fear of uncertainty was very real initially. I found myself being susceptible to being tossed and thrown by the waves of the world.
The comments and expectations that my loved ones had of me were hard to take in as well. I felt “useless” that I was not being a productive person to society, especially since many of my peers have in the sense “moved on” with their lives.
PP: What did you have to sacrifice and/or prepare to ensure your gap year was a fruitful one?
SJ: I had to sacrifice that sense of FOMO aka fear of missing out. Back then, taking a gap year was uncommon. Many of my peers were moving on in life and not being able to be part of that made me look like I am in a stagnant phase and directionless. I doubted my decision to take this gap year countless times. I had many thoughts like, “Did I do something wrong? Maybe I should have applied for University together with them…”
One thing I did constantly throughout my gap year was to look back at the goals I set for the gap year. I did not want my gap year to become gap years. I had to also plan what was next for me after this phase is over.
PP: How did taking a gap year helped you to be where you are today?
SJ: Taking a gap year allowed me to be independent and to find my own voice. I applied for my diploma in Poly as this was what my parents wanted me to do.
During my gap year, I had to find what exactly I want to do in life and that empowered me to make decisions on my own and be more responsible for the decisions I make. If I didn’t have a gap year, I wouldn’t be as independent as I would be today.
It has also allowed me to solidify my identity, and to find out what I am driven for, which is to care for the broken and the needy in society.
Si Jia playing ‘Gone Fishing’ with an elderly at a volunteer opportunity.
The gap year was also very timely. Singapore University of Social Sciences (previously known as UniSIM) launched the Bachelor of Social Work only in 2016, a year after I graduated from TP.
It was also during the gap year where I was convicted of my passion for Social Work. And what’s more amazing is that though I didn't have any prior background, the university accepted me as they wanted a diverse background of students.
All these factors allowed me to pursue my passion and now I am working as a Social Worker at Methodist Welfare Services.
SI Jia (second from left) with her colleagues at Methodist Welfare Services.
PP: What are your Da Baos (Takeaways) from your gap year?
SJ: Being “painfully plucked” away from my cohort helped me to learn to not be afraid of being different from the crowd, not conforming to societal standards.
Another takeaway was the lesson of failing. Initially, the fear of falling into nothingness was pretty scary. In hindsight, I came to understand that the whole connotation of falling is not too bad after all.
Being in fast-paced Singapore, falling away from the systemic ladder is seen as a failure. But you’ll never know if you’ll fall into an opportunity better than you expected.
Overall, It was a good wake-up call for me. I stepped into the gap year not knowing what I wanted to do in life, to discovering the goals that I want to achieve in life. In the midst of it, I just threw myself into any opportunity that came along my way, pushing myself to just do something. Thankfully, I found joy in all the things that I did during my gap year.
PP: What advice do you have for those considering taking a gap year?
SJ: It is okay to be indecisive (*laughs*). In hindsight, I wished I had set a purpose before stepping into taking a gap year. Taking a gap year is good, but don’t turn it into gap years.
There is a need to actively explore what could excite you, don’t be a lazy bum. See this year as a springboard for you to jump into the next phase of life.
In a post-Covid world, taking a gap year may become inevitable. You might come to the point where you beat yourself up because of the opportunities that you missed or from the rejections you received. I get it, it’s definitely a huge blow to your self-esteem, but don’t let your circumstances beat you down, be kind to yourself. Find people to talk out your frustrations, and ride through the emotional turmoil.
My story could have looked a little happy and dandy. To be honest, taking a gap year it’s not a bed of roses. In fact, I spiralled at the very end of it. There were definitely days where I just lay in bed and allow myself to be engulfed in negative thoughts. So, find yourself a community of friends who also are taking a meaningful gap year to motivate one another, knowing that you’re not alone on this journey!
