25 Milestones Before 25

Today, I turn 25.
I'm writing myself a list of things that I've done; it's easy to believe in yourself if you have a list. <3

25 Milestones Before 25 

1. Hair for Hope

Shaved off all my past-shoulder length curls to raise funds for kids with cancer. More than $2000 was the final count. One of the things I'm most proud of.

2. Mum & Dad's 25th

Threw the best surprise party for Mum & Dad's 25th anniversary complete with childhood friends, freshly flown in Sister from Sydney, buffet spread and their favourite priest to renew their vows.

3. Quitting my job

Quitting your job because it makes you unhappy might be the wisest career choice you make. 

4. Backpacking solo

And then I took off into the wild, met some of the most interesting people I've ever come across and backpacked solo in South-East Asia.

5. Cambodia

I spent the most time in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, teaching English to orphans and street kids. It was there I learnt that people in developed countries are not as rich as we seem. Those kids taught me what joy really is.

6. Barefoot for Poverty

Raising awareness for people who can't afford shoes by walking a day in their life. Experienced both the ugliest and kindest behaviour from fellow Singaporeans.

7. NSP

Worked with the National Solidarity Party behind-the-scenes as part of the Social Media team during the General Election period. We fought a good fight.

8. Peace & Conflict

Represented our little island in a 3-week course in Southern Thailand about Peace & Conflict in the region. An amazing introduction to South-East, South and Central Asian politics, conflicts and people.

9. Activism

From taking photos and sneakily distributing flyers for Make Poverty History to selling tshirts for SlutWalk SG, joining the fight for Yong Vui Kong's life and saying NO to the Death Penalty, there's so much to be done. It's amazing to be a part of something great.

10. Vegan with a Vengeance

Vegetarian is easy. Vegan is hard. That is all.

11. I Fought the Law

A remarkable fight for justice in university, when I was denied a fair grade because of scumbag lecturer. It went all the way to the top. I won.

12. Meeting Paul & Mick

I met Paul Simonon and Mick Jones (bassist and guitarist from the Clash) and Paul said I was pretty, and that I inspired him with my passion for their music.

13. Urbanwire

Being 1 of 2 kids running a website and a team of 17 reporters was crazy, so much fun and a great introduction to path I later ventured into in my career.

14. Full-Time Job & Degree

Getting your degree with holding down a job in an advertising agency has been done by lots of people. That doesn't make it easy.

15. New York, New York

Being selected to go on a journalism field trip to New York where we met lots of important people from NYT, Boston Globe, MTV and all that.

16. JD Pilgrimage

I visited Ian Curtis' grave in Macclesfield. I c/wouldn't leave until they made me.

17. Moving Up

I have at least once been given a raise and a promotion. The fact that I can successfully do grown-up stuff still fascinates me.

18. Band Travel

Whether it's Hong Kong or London, I'm there if a band I love is there. I like this about myself. 

19. Roller Derby

I bought some skates, put them on and have never looked back since.

20. Broken Bone

Painful, frustrating and tiring, but it is actually something I'm glad to have experienced. A badge of honour in  my Roller Derby life. Once is enough. 

21. Getting Help and Letting Go

Acknowledging that there were some things I couldn't handle on my own and realising that even the best people out there need help. And I'm so much better for it.

22. Blogpost

Writing a blog post about painful parts of my past and sharing them with the world is possibly the scariest thing I have done. The amount of support shown, and the number of friends who confided in me, as a result, was overwhelming, humbling and beautiful.

23. Mindanao

I fell in love with children on a mountain while helping to rebuild their homes. I think about them every day.

24. NaNoWriMo

I completed National Novel Writing Month. My 50, 027 words are still a work in progress, but I finished it.

25. Being 25

After a year that has seen so much change, disappointment, joy, confusion, love, heartbreak, trust and misplaced hopes, I'm back on track with a new job, old friends, amazing family, countless crazy Internet people, and a badass list to remind myself in dark and lonely times that I have done, am doing, and will continue to do some amazing things.