sure perception priorities ya, definitely definitely ya uh but, okay I mean ya uh like you said this also very subjective you know so it it's it's also like, ah how to say it's never ever black or white right it's not just one is high priority the other one is low priority you know they can have two high priorities you could if you wanted to you want to put in the effort right ya


okay, do you want to move on, okay this is a bit difficult tears of sorrow it's I will I also want to say that as well


I agree , I can't oaky ya ya ya I agree


it's difficult to say ya because uh tears of sorrow it's, it's hard sometimes, the the only times I can think of ya it's it's when someone has passed when I uh feel like ya maybe there was something I could have said, uh to them while they were alive


ya so it's a mixture of uh regret, the mixture of guilt mixture of uh longing you know ya, few things okay but I'm okay (hmm) okay ya (mmhmm) (mmhmm)


right right ya I think it's become too ingrained in the lives it's too much of a norm , ya I think I think that there are more peoples with phones than with kidneys, , ,


not my [ho] I I I did I did a study it's on ya even even third world countries how many smartphones there are you know sometimes you have to do competitors studies and all that and and it's it's very high, market penetration is talking high eighties nineties in or just three G phones lah at least three G not yet four G but those are considered smartphones anyway


you know so ya, uh , ya ya I I, meho ya ya okay


for what things I could change, !wow! I'm thinking right now and and, it's just, maybe maybe sometimes, I don't want to let my guard down, or or I feel like I don't want to


oh it's going to sound so bad no no I I just , I just I just don't want to to have to be able to uh, explain uh no downplay my successes, you know ya I


ya I I I feel like maybe uh that has given the wrong impression wrong impression when done with the wrong crowd, uh maintaining this uh uh status quo with them uh you know has has made me, not appreciate what I've accomplished


ya so if there's one thing I could change I wish I could have been a bit more graceful, graceful gracious uh graceful I could be a bit more graceful on uh in, presenting myself, at my level accomplishments to certain people


ya ya ya that's right so but it


okay right uh, ya, ya no I think


it's more of like, ya I I should celebrate it more it it's just that I did not and therefore I was viewed uh uh differently I was treated differently so maybe the idea is that if if I could showcase what it emboss and do it gracefully and then you know at least uh I wouldn't feel like I short changed myself


ya !wow!, anyway okay, moving on can't eat durian cannot Tahan, okay lah I don't I don't dislike it lah I can eat it !aiya! it's not like oh I hate this


mellow no such thing I just I maybe have one or two and I'm done, guess so ya I don't like eat yolk


I give you all my yolk all the time when we go eat #mee goreng# with #mata lembu# , , I don't know that that texture or something it's not that is is like the texture of cooked yolk, I don't know the glutinous rice


oh oh we fun okay okay ya ya ya, the one with starch why that's damn Shiok, , right right the starchiness with the with the I think the the rice grains are too hard compared to like #hor fun# which is a bit more you know mushier it goes along with the starch ah okay okay interesting


, !wow! but like that you you shouldn't be able to eat like uh koko krunch and milk what


okay okay we are not supposed to laugh though that's it, can we , right right, oh god I think ya have you ever had that before


like you pour milk and then it's spoilt, ya yes yes ya, (uh huh)


oh man, it it okay, !wow! for that ah okay, okay let's go to what do you often worry about think that's quite interesting


ya no I I I I totally agree with that , simply because uh we we live in a totally different time, uh we we can't even consider our jobs any any of our jobs to be an iron rice bowl, ya that's how uh unstable uh ya current times ah so ya for sure man I I'm totally with you on that and we we uh whatever commitments we want to make right now we do it in the trust and the hope that


someone else is doing their job properly so that we can do our job properly because if, ya because ya,


ya ya I I agree ya it's more or less the same thing lah a lot of times it's about, it's funny it's not work that worry you you know it's not the amount of work that worry you it's it's really the large large scale things oh man uh six months from now you know uh uh !wah! three years from now can I afford my car payments


you know ya, ya so it it's ya ya, so ya likewise, okay that's it


ya I'll think so as well I mean we uh, and a lot of times you know when when when we grew up uh in our generation we saw the stability of parents had so in our growing up we were ingrained with the knowledge that if you do it this way you are going to have a very stable life,


cause then then then came you know your your new new millennium then came the two thousand ten's and suddenly you realise that, !wow! everything is so volatile, uh everything is changing whatever we thought were entire industries were wiped out man, , you know who'd have thought you won't have taxis on the road uh anymore I mean ya and and you know it is a kind of thing that you grew up with everywhere you turn it's just blues uh blue taxis everywhere and then you are like those guys are are minimally on the road ya


so so you know ya, no one does it so I'm wondering how will the taxi survive no one's at the side of the road flagging them up anymore, but you know for us


ya that was a developmental milestone you know do not feel shy to go and flag for a taxi , , they took that away from our kids man, ya (mmhmm) ya ya I agree so ya


ya we didn't not this cycle uh, yup yup ya sure what do what do you feel the last one I don't know


it's it's very interesting to to ask us this as we you know as we are we are there in the adulthood right now it reminds me of like you know when you were teenagers and everybody, it's like eh you know I don't like back stabbers don't like liars and you know stuff like that and it was it's a very normal typical thing for everybody to have on your friendster or your MSN and thing ya


ya ya, you know but but you know it it comes down to it right now I think when talk about hitting someone really it, I feel, for myself hate's such a strong word right but but it would be someone ya it's it's so strong I can't hate someone I can't imagine hating someone but if let's say I have a reason to dislike someone it would genuinely because


I I get the feeling that they are attempting to to to, sway me uh uh no, to to trick me they they uh it's very obvious that they are doing some kind of sales pitch which's very obvious that they are not being their true self to me uh uh but they are expecting me to take them at their face value and commit something from myself


ya, not ya not genuine exactly, I mean but you mean ya sorry go ahead, ya ya be the one uh ya ya ya ya I think uh ya (mmhmm)


ya maybe we change the question to what kind of person do you not get along with think that that would be easier to answer ya ya, but we don't have time for that so thank you , , okay


positive experience, okay, so should we go get a beer


yes yes


it was a bit more carefree, ya uh, ya ya that sounds good I think right before secondary school even if if you talk about primary school it's it's a lot of flashes of memories it's it's nothing really significant and


when you talk about you know where we met you know in the SGIN when our memory started from, err, that was really the the point of time when, you know, at the point of time that your problem, seemed the biggest in the world but now in retrospect you're like oh man I I really miss the place I really want to go back you know those were not problems at all you know


ya so ya ya ya I would say that was really when anything and everything that was positive that could have happened at started, ya that would be why we're here, okay (mmhmm) ya


kind of man ya ya ya those are good times, ya, ya ya ya correct correct ya sentosa to yishun lah ya ya correct around there, ya ya yes yes


at a bus stop on the curbside whatever it is and and I think it was, it was really good clean fun I mean you know we we weren't we were doing nothing we were just walking and talking, we didn't need anything else we didn't need to spend money you know we we didn't need the uh uh uh expensive stuff we didn't need distracting stuff we just needed company and time that's all


and ya I guess ya, ya ya


ya ya get what the cup noodle there , that was some expensive cup noodle bro I think I really think they ripped us off ah, ya ya


okay I think uh whether you know good or for bad you know, the the the classmates we had they really added a lot of spice, uh and colour in our lives or, generally speaking I I don't think you know you where are we it's the school we were from


eh you know you you won't really get the kind of mixture of characters and some more that everybody managed to click everybody found their own place within our little group of you know thirty thirty one of us or something so that that was where the positivity was lah you know ya we we didn't really form groups or cliques or anything like that some more that the whole class was one


one group and and, ya that I I think a lot of uh of the fun started from there and of course lah there are moments ya moments that we are not proud of like you know having favourite teachers


our experiments in the back, here man ya I think uh the it's it's also the the way the the teachers were the the way


uh the staffer where no one really felt the need to have to push us towards a certain goal or a certain way to be and they were just always, encouraging us to be just just the best versions of ourselves , so that that really allowed us to grow and and I think that was why people really made the connection of wanting to be there for so long I never wanting to leave


you know ya, (mmhmm) (hmm) so okay let's see uh talk about a fond memories of a pet they have or once had didn't do pets,


simba uh ya, bella, bella [orh] the guinea pigs, ya ya


I think there was one I mean you you even give me a opportunity to look after them what, when you and your family had to go overseas, ya the, ya so I mean they were surprisingly full of personality it you you wouldn't imagine you know you know guinea pigs are just oversized hamsters and hamsters don't have much of a personality


but your guinea pigs had personality bro , ya that was okay no worries that's it


how about bella how about when you got bella I think uh that was a turning point because you know your your I don't think your mum was very keen on having uh uh a dog in the house that kind of thing, so you know I think, uh it was very similar for me we were having simba as well but somehow or other it comes a point of time in in


in their lives or something when they suddenly say okay lah fine let's have it right, so you know it's ya


your parents had ya, (mmhmm) (mmhmm) okay woof it's tough eh ya


it's not when, those those conversations were never done sober, uh


ya ya I I definitely agree with that I think you know on a on a broader broader more more general kind of uh thinking it's more like, uh you want to have the the capability, of effecting change, you know whether it's for one person or group of people entire community as well so you know you want to be able to build up to that you want to be able to to have that kind of affluence uh uh within within some kind of uh authoritative figure where you can actually do something good for the people around you and I think you know that's where we we tried


where we started trust, you know that that was our basis of of trying to do this ya so you know we we didn't ya we we we felt like working with uh actual authority uh, authorities were uh having too much red tape and that didn't allow us to help the people who needed help


so you know ya I think I think, we were able to use that use what we wanted to do create a funnel for ourselves and then you know go through our own processes and if if we were I really think that's uh that that's one of the ways we're we're going to you know move towards one of our dreams and goals we want to achieve so ya I think we're on the right path for that


think ya yup yup yup correct correct I agree (mmhmm) okay okay let's see (hmm)


could maybe you should shall we shall we go to the next one, that's why oh okay (hmm) ya yup yup (mmhmm) (mmhmm)


for sure because a lot of times I mean if you want to remove the uh uh the argument that you know sometime people are doing it for for salaries or what not then you have the situations uh uh in well overseas lah, so where you know uh I I've seen the videos of people let's say writing or or stopping other people from going to work and that kind of thing so uh as uh one particular scenario where where you know I really felt my faith to mankind was renewed was that there's this group of people were were uh demonstrating outside the hospital


and they were preventing uh medical staff to go inside and the people who stopped the demonstrators were the medical staff, and their reason the their anger was just was just that they couldn't get to their patients they need to take care of them you know so it wasn't it wasn't about the job it wasn't about salary wasn't about the virus was nothing they'll say they felt responsibilities and they felt like they had to take care of their patients and they will be you know they will do what is necessary to get to them


ya so I I thought I thought that's amazing ya, ya ya correct, that's right you know to to go past demonstrators you know I I thought I thought that's really really ya that's very cool man, okay , what's your favourite childhood food or snack


so why ditch , don't want to eat two centimeter lah , ya ya it's like ten cents uh ya it's the ten


err okay what, I I I I had them, I I would say a very unique childhood food lah and I just very recently had that courage to go and ask the normal hawker uh like like a hawker centre uh uncle for it so basically uh in my primary school uh where they sell the noodles I actually went to there say uh I want mee pok with laksa


so and and I used to get it and it was very simple there's no cockles there's no Taugeh it's just #laksa kuah# and #mee pok# inside, it's damn cheap it's like forty cents or something you know I don't know , , I tried it recently and they did it and it was so awesome


ya ya, ya ya ya ya it does, laksa so ya and the, there was something that that really uh triggers nostalgia for me


(hmm) okay yup yup


I've never heard that what is that you have eat, you have to, you have to do that one time for me please, okay, yes which things oh !wow!


someone's never told me that that's that's difficult, I think it's always nice to feel uh validated, uh it's it's when when you know your efforts uh uh uh uh, have not gone to waste so you know that that's where you you can make the differentiation where where you know the comment is genuine uh whether there's ulterior motive you just want to know where whether okay I I did this much am I uh


are people aware I did this much you know so rather than it's it's also not just uh self appreciation but uh it's also you know, external validation from the people around you it's something that we were trained for in school you know when we go out there and found any it's something we also expect when we go into the working world and professional world so ya


it's a bit difficult to ya, (mmhmm) !wow! ya ya ya chance thin one lah


aru, in JC right ya oh ya ya ya


okay lah that is really nice man, okay sure what's a perfect day man I think a perfect day I see I'll say a perfect day


would actually be a mixture of a few things it wouldn't just be, you know, uh one thing being done the whole day I think you know it's something that they'll probably start out you know for myself will be going to the zoo in the morning


you know, uh with like uh with like a pack pack, uh a breakfast, you know then then uh after the zoo, uh ya, so like like after the zoo then, ya ya correct and then you know and then you end it early you know if you you end it by by lunchtime and then and then you do something else like like basically uh


go out to to ubin after that, you know but but like you know hopefully there's like uh I mean nowadays there isn't a chalet anymore lah but if let's say you got a chalet there and then uh uh like last time there was then, resort there you know then you just chill there you know if drink a martini from boat for small group of friends and then that's it and then at night you have a barbecue and that's it that's perfect


ya, yes yes, yup the perfect


#zi char# perfect man ya ya okay cool cool , yes man yes exactly you know barbeque food beer and that's it it's really


ya , comfort food , uh yes


the that's awesome already that's perfect ya, oh let let's try uh what is the skill and ability that you are secretly proud of having it's actually quite interesting, what what secret do you have bro,


really, no lah I mean uh it just just, you know when I think it back I'm very sure you you get back and do it DJ you can definitely you know pop a few moves


oh man, ya ya (ppc), I think uh, recently I I find that uh


I I could I can procrastinate a lot I could get very lazy at times cannot do the work and then and then this this moment of clarity comes when there's uh almost too much work is not yet too much work but there's almost much work and then everything becomes so clear, and you know I can prioritise I can I can uh you know and everything gets done at a very good quality of work I know it's probably not a good practice but


I I like, I rely on that on that particular skill a lot like, you know it's okay I can handle it let, let future sean handle the mess you know and and he does it so , ya


ya ya ya yes yes I I don't know what it is the adrenaline or ya oh !wow! thank you uh okay yes the best stuff actually ya ya ya okay cool conversation uh ya


finance part one finance okay, okay, you want to read out the question bro


okay


ya okay so uh I think recently, recently I applied for HDB flat uh with my wife and uh based on that we did actually receive uh a HDB grant from them so from what I understand they have uh three types of grants uh the first one being the enhanced CPF grant and then we have our family grant


and if I'm not wrong the last one is called the proximity grant and we were uh we were, applicable for for two of them which's the enhanced grant and the, family grant, (hmm) how about you bro (hmm) ya (hmm) ya


yup yup the proximity grant if I'm not wrong it's uh, the distance is four four kilometers right its max standard four kilometers


yup yup so we we got miss that as well for for, by a couple of hundred meters as well, ya, there is there ya there is an appeal process where you can uh appeal to HDB uh and if that uh is uh doesn't go through then you can actually go down to


to discuss with your your uh, you know constituency uh whoever is in charge of the uh constituency under the GRC to to see if there uh you know there's any further applications that can be made, (mmhmm) ya so


so they're actually asking us to provide details of the HDB grant, okay, so they've got a four-room I think they've got anything up till four-room and then uh two to four-room and I think five-room and above there's uh there's, difference to it give for the family


ya the ceiling I believe uh for for uh, family grant I think up to four-room it's it's fifty thousand dollars and, uh for the, five-room and above I from what I understand it is forty thousand so there's a ten thousand-dollar difference uh regarding that


uh the grants uh actually is it will be going into the CPF so when your your your grant is


approved it will go into they will uh, credited into your CPF and from there it gets deducted as well (hmm), (hmm) (hmm) (hmm), and for the enhanced CPF it's based on the tiering of uh your income


so there's also that that level where you know uh based on your your income and your your spouse's income and then from there they will they will do an assessment to see uh, which tier do you fall under and from there give you uh, a rough estimate uh they'll give you a rough sum to to be credited into your CPF as well


(hmm) (hmm) (hmm) cool cool (hmm) ya yup (mmhmm)


uh so we are still in the process of uh looking into our renovations, because we are relatively new uh, new owners uh we are looking down that that that, line as well and uh there are a couple of uh options you know uh from the different banks that provide these loans


ya ranging up to to uh three percent uh three uh slightly between three percent to to to four percent uh, monthly uh on the on the uh the the the, base amount that you are actually taking a loan about but we haven't really decided it yet because we don't know the extent of uh


you know renovation that needs to be done uh, ya, yup yup, ya, ya but it's also I think uh when we talk about personal finances it's also about cash flow


so uh I think I think maintaining a steady cash flow in this economic time I mean in these economic times I think it's it's also uh uh a very important thing lah it's it's one thing to to uh cash out all your savings to to


do up a renovation or and then there's also also having that cash flow to to sustain you know uh, the family running lah, ya ya, but but I think if if it were to go for a loan I think there are some pretty uh good loans out there that uh the banks can provide uh relatively reasonable rates as well


ya (mmhmm), uh so the ones that I have been exposed to uh are more of our, more commonly known banks so like uh uh DBS uh citibank


and then we have got , also uh maybank and and few other , very prominent banks in singapore lah so ya uh under, private financing I think uh, I'm not too sure if hong leong or any of those financing companies actually to finance for reno loans uh we haven't as in on a personal level I haven't really uh


done that ya (mmhmm) yup


I think finally uh you brought up a very important uh I think, you brought up a very important point in terms of uh credit rating so, uh that that plays uh a very uh, crucial role but we also need to understand that given the current uh, situation that we are in uh banks have to


be accountable for certain, uh sense of prudency lah you know uh, uh ya because that we are they are also looking at uh at all the SMEs the small small businesses that are are you know , pumping in they are pumping in money to support these small businesses and also uh and when it's tagged to the same group of citizens who are you know


looking for other forms of loan uh that also affects the, the whole dynamics of the market, lah ya ya, so I it's something I'm interested to know is whether you know uh uh private housings so like uh I wouldn't say private housing but like your shophouses and and


all those uh what what you know what what are some of those uh, and , forms of housing what does that fall under is it under our, general HDB or is it uh under uh, private transaction given in


(hmm) okay okay okay, cool let's maybe we go to the next one lah have you bought or sold a house before


other than the property price what other fees incurred during the transaction, !wow! , ya I think I think we did ya so ya, ya so I'm guessing we both have bought a property before, other than the property price


ya ya OTP and, stamp duty which is the uh it's base of the valuation, that you have uh ya ya COV as well


uh ya but I I'm I'm I think it's quite uh, quite interesting to know that now because of uh, , the measures that have been implemented by HDB uh so so the the issue of how it used to be regarding the COV has been uh


I mean the margins have have ya, (hmm), (hmm), ya


yup yup yup yup, then I think there's also there's an extension there's an extension b so if you if you choose to uh


uh, ya if you ya if you don't exercise your OTP there's one extension and also after purchase, uh that means after you've paid your stamp duty, if your uh current owner decides to or you made an arrangement for the current owner to


uh extend their stay then I think there's an additional fee if I'm not too wrong about hundred and twenty dollars or so, uh regarding that ya so we we uh we sort of extend for a bit as well so, ya that's an additional cost that goes into that


(hmm), yup ya they ya they, if you uh engage uh an agent lah then of course you got your your renovation and whatever furnishings and and fittings and whatever not because


ya, ya ya okay, what, do you think of investing in property, to


(hmm) yup, yes , okay oh ya


(hmm), (mmhmm), (mmhmm)


(mmhmm) (mmhmm) ya (hmm) ya (hmm) (mmhmm) (hmm)


I think I think it's it's it's also uh, uh it it relates to the point where uh our initial, policies were implemented to to provide housing for, for every citizen, so so so on that ya so it's to make affordable housing so that was the basis of it but ya I mean investing in property definitely if if you do have that additional cash it's it's uh it's a sure


sure good way to go about, you know to to have some form of passive income or or you know to, to to uh, in the future lah you know and also to to build and a sort of legacy or or empire for for, your kids


you know in the future as well and give them like a, a a stable base to to kickstart their their life as well, yup, (hmm) (mmhmm) (hmm) (hmm) ten minutes


then the twenty minutes I'm guessing you probably hit the MRT station or a a decent bus stop that will get you somewhere lah right, , (hmm) yup yup yup okay


ya I think pretty much covered it a bit right just now so so how it works is ya it's done through the entire process of uh applying for your house you so through the nine steps that you go through and applying a house, what happens is err, ya HDB


you know you you'll declare how much I wouldn't say declare but you would uh, pledge whatever ya based on the selling value and how much you decide to, you know from your from your own uh ordinary account how much you want to uh pump it into uh the property that you that you want


and ya and from there you can have an option of you know retaining some funds in your OA and and you know uh, ya so it's I think that part of it isn't a very complex thing I think it's it's managed, by by , what do you call that uh HDB as well so ya it's it's a pretty uh


easy process what do you think (mmhmm)


(mmhmm) (mmhmm), (hmm)


(mmhmm) (mmhmm) (mmhmm), and investments ah this you're you're you're saying in regarding to the special account or, under your ordinary account


(mmhmm) ya yup yup yup yup


to minimise the amount of interest that you are paying because usually the first five to five to seven years is going to go for, for for you know easily to pay up for your interest lah


(hmm) yup yup, yup yup (mmhmm) yup yup


ya ya I I I don't think that grants are are an exception as well I believe when you, decide to to sell your house or or you know upgrade or downgrade uh, I think you ya you do have to put that in as well uh, as part of your your payment


so, then I guess I guess that's that's a certain uh experience on the on the payment aspect of uh using the CPF ah, ya but I think it's also maintaining uh, a sufficient sufficient amount of money to for retirement lah so that's uh that's probably where the policy was was uh


engineered or or or, implemented based upon uh I think I think I think maybe my personal opinion is uh the flexibility is there but uh I mean if there's even further ability to to be more flexible then that would definitely uh, help people


you know like yourself and myself you know, to, just to ya it also depends on the tenure for how long you decide to sure not tenure the I mean the the loan for how long you taking the loan for ya so if it (hmm), (hmm) yup yup uh


depends I I think it depends on whether so I think HDB if you take a loan from HDB uh it's two point six percent, uh, ya it's two point six percent uh your CPF interest rate uh that you gain I think it's two, point five so it's a point one difference uh if you go if you


go by a bank uh your rates can fluctuate they go by uh SIBOR rate, uh or or you know uh, pockets of three months and it kind of fluctuates as well lah depending on how well the economy is doing and how well the the financial system is doing as well so


there're pros and cons to it ya, (hmm) (hmm) (hmm) yup I


think it's also the stability so some people they prefer stability some people like you know one fixed rate and don't have to worry about it and then for some of them is more of uh, you know being able to ya ya ya ya


you you you you just put it very (uh) easily yup okay I think I think


part three negative experience, okay


helpless, yup


(hmm), (mmhmm), (hmm) (mmhmm)


(hmm) (mmhmm), (mmhmm)


ya, (mmhmm), yup (mmhmm) yup


ya I feel that I actually remember remember that that period of time that you were going through like, it it ya I could actually feel the the helplessness uh that you were going through lah so ya hope hope hope you have been like able to get over that that experience (ppc)


ya ya, I think for me it's more of uh I think it's more of uh trying to help someone who, so it's a friend who who was going through some uh, I wouldn't say uh any I wouldn't say it's a condition but more of like uh


uh a state of of uh, , mind at that point of time that uh, you know wasn't I wasn't able to fully understand at the point of time and I think I think it made me feel very trapped or


or helpless as a matter of fact because as much as you know we try to understand uh, people at times there's always that road block at uh, you know we are unable to know exactly what it is that they are going through we can we can try to empathise but at the same time uh sometimes it is not uh


where they want us to be lah that's more of uh, where where we feel like , we are at so it's it it was a bit of a very complex time because, ya I know it's (hmm)


(ppc), (hmm), ya ya (hmm) ya


I think is it because I'd I wouldn't say that's because we valued it more but I'm guessing it, it's uh it's a shift in priorities as well lah I guess and that's why it becomes


(hmm) (hmm), ya yup


what brings what always brings tears of sorrow to your eyes, (hmm)


guessing the loss the loss of a dear one definitely brings sorrow to our lives, well ya, I think even after many years even after many years of, uh them passing right uh you know you get away life goes on you still move on in life and stuff like that but


uh, you know the thing is even after many years you you reminisce about the times that you know you spent with the person on the personal level or, so right and it always definitely brings that uh tears of sorrow because you you you crave or you earn for that for that you yearn for that that sort of uh experience again lah I guess that's what means to it


else, I think other than that other than that uh, I think ya ya


(mmhmm), yup yup, yup


is there one thing you wish you could change but will never be able to, !wow!, I think if there's one thing I could change uh


would be, so I think with the youth these days uh, I think some some mindsets have been, uh fixed or or


you know in the in the space of technology technology has definitely advanced, you know and and, those simple things like uh you know, going back to to, keeping things simple you know uh, uh enjoying you know uh


a very carefree life without, you know, technology bogging us down uh that is something that I feel that you know we'll never be able to change because uh we've already gone past that stage of technology I I still remember that when we were, we were younger it was okay before the invention of handphones and before the invention of uh okay the initial invention of uh the internet I mean things were a lot more I mean the way that we entertained ourselves the way our childhoods were


were were a lot more , I feel a bit I would say I'll use the word holistic in a way uh technology has done wonders so I'm not I'm not saying that technology is bad all bad I'm just saying that uh ya if there were something that we could change would be maybe a moderation to it I don't think that's even possible at this point of time


so ya, (hmm) (hmm), yup ya ya through that, no but actually actually I wouldn't uh so I wouldn't


I wouldn't say that because I think it's you mostly in the developed countries so, uh, (mmhmm)


, !wow! that that's that's uh that's the information for me thanks bro I didn't really I I didn't really expect that I was thinking it was all the first world countries actually


okay, !aiya!, how about you bro like uh, ya there's one thing you could change, (hmm)


okay okay , , (mmhmm) (mmhmm) (mmhmm)


(mmhmm) (mmhmm) ya I agree I agree I think I think a lot of people


uh, they can't distinguish between that that fine line of uh, you know uh someone being graceful and someone being uh, you know having their own, like you know they say who are trying to blow the trumpet that kind of thing lah so I I think it's okay to be graceful and uh you know people to celebrate people's uh successes in life I think it's important that we celebrate that because that gives us the motivation to do even greater things so ya you're right you're right bro


uh ya, I do I do agree with you that you know that , people shouldn't be so critical about it lah they should just, try to understand where the person is coming from when


they are uh you know celebrating that when success, (mmhmm)


ya, ya, what popular foods do you dislike and why


okay ya that's a that's a strange stick I don't really have anything that I dislike uh, why, , ya ya ya I just uh I just realise why


I think for me it's mei fun I don't know for some reason the texture is just very but hor fun is fine no it's like hor fun but the rice version you know mei fun


!aiya! like I don't know like I I know, uh because hor fun I I actually do like hor fun but when it's mei fun I don't eat just, feels very grainy the texture it's grainy but it's sludgy so you know it's a bit


ya, ya ya ya exactly, okay


koko krunch no but koko krunch is crispy and milk is smooth it's not viscous, okay if it's if it's if it's, boiled milk then okay lah then probably I would guess so that would have been a very bad experience ya


ya, oh ya curdled right like, the little bits I remember one time when like uh we didn't know but the fridge wasn't working properly like for one one overnight or something like that then next morning


the like because I wasn't really really paying attention to the bowl or cup I can't remember but just poured it and then the moment I took it I was like do I just have yoghurt or what's that milk it came out like curdled, then I was like no no milk for me for at least a week


yup yup, that's ya, what do you often worry about


I think uh, I believe the thing that worries me most is uh, I don't know the uncertainty of uh, of, where life is taking us I mean on a very deep level lah I think it's the uncertainty of life because you know it can be one way suddenly and then you know the next moment it can


you know uh yup


no yup, amen


ya I do agree, ya because it's whether we can put that that you know that next, bowl of rice or you know can we because we also make so many commitments on uh on the financial basis on uh


stuff like that I think that's that's why it's something that's more, , ya it's something that often worries me how about you bro, ya


ya it's those things that you've already vested right, true true I think I think it's something very similar and common with guys our age I guess


(mmhmm) (mmhmm) ya


uh, ya, think I think I think some something interesting is that nowadays you rarely see people flagging taxis anymore


let's especially in the heartlands right yup ya


ya I don't think okay so I'm I'm guessing that probably in their time there probably will not be any taxis anymore or maybe like a very one way maybe it'll be called like private some sort of hire or you know a limousine service I'm guessing limousine services will still be around


but I don't think taxis will be there in the near future I mean, it's just a worrisome thought in a way , oh I think we are burning we are burning through so many, topics and questions bro I think you've never ever done this before right usually it's like one topic and then we go deeper and deeper and deeper


but ya maybe you can take one more, err, (hmm), okay


ya what kind of person do you hate the most I guess so I think that is uh, (hmm), uh ya


then there're display messages right ya, ya it is right


(mmhmm) (mmhmm)


not genuine lah essentially, ya I think I can resonate with that bro like I don't think I think hate is a very very strong word think it's more of like I don't know whether it's cause you know with time we get more tolerant


uh ya, I think I think it's more, I think it's more of for me it's more of like , , anything anyone who who infringes my freedom is uh


I wouldn't say I would hate the person but I I wouldn't really like the person lah so I guess I guess, ya uh ya cool cool, ya


thank you, nice


part two positive experience, (mmhmm) okay ya


what were some of the, positive experiences in life yeah a lot of chill hanging out session, in our younger days uh I mean we still do it now and then but uh, I think I think it's uh as life catches up it's, ya


I think I think we can go down memory lane to where we started I guess, (mmhmm) (hmm)


ya ya, yup, I think I still remember


I still remember uh time she spent after school, uh, walking around singapore you know, on foot by foot you know just walking around remember the time we went from uh, I think it was uh #pasir panjang# from #pasir panjang# walk all the way to yishun or something like that


, sentosa to Yishun ya so we did that and then uh we used to order cup noodles and then sit under uh sit outside the the seven eleven and you know just chill, ya yup yup


yup yup we were we were doing the uh do you remember the time when uh we actually had uh so the tanglin CC right


yeah so we we used to to go to tanglin CC uh regarding that, and then you know we just used to ya, yup yup


that was that really was ah


yes yes


yup yup, ya I remember there was a time when when we had uh, our we had interesting sessions after school you know and then in the middle of uh classes we also you know we had our


uh fun you know standouts stand out uh experiments ya so so that was uh , that was something that uh, we'll definitely uh go back to and you know reminisce about for sure, ya uh


ya yup yup yup yup


so ya definitely was, , yup I mean I think I think we all uh we both had uh our fair share of uh pets I think for yourself you had uh you had a dog and then for me you know simba ya and then for me was uh also having uh


bella and then ya I had you know that whole massive uh, uh pen of uh guinea pigs, so ya ya that (hmm)


ya ya ya that was a very uh I think interesting time for us, cause we we could uh, we


yup yup uh, yup uh sorry I think the ya there was uh there was a slight jingle at the back uh but ya we yeah we'll so so so sorry about that ya uh so


ya ya ya so , ya so the so the ya


yeah it was a transition I think when when as families I think they decided that uh you know it was time for for greater responsibility uh you know as young individuals right to to inculcate that for us as well so I think that was uh


something that you know uh, that was really life changing yeah life changing as well for us, ya okay so ya what are dreams and goals that you wish to achieve before you die !wah! that's a very heavy question ya


ya, ya, okay, okay so I think I ya I think for me it's more of uh making a difference and a change in at least just one person's life effectively


I think I think more than anything uh being able to, to, to uh, alleviate uh someone out of uh, of uh, a situation when you know be it on the mental level or be it on uh, uh on uh uh you know


financial level lor, uh family base level I think that's that's one of the things that I definitely would uh, uh want to achieve lah as as something or or something that uh it's would be meaningful for me how about you bro


yup,


ya yes a bit,


(hmm) (mmhmm) yup


I think I think those uh that whole initiative that uh you know that was, uh started you know uh by us uh, really really start and set in motion for us to get on that on that path and on that direction as well lah, so ya I think ya cool cool what do you love about life


yup, what do you love about life, describe an experience when your faith in mankind is renewed, oh interesting


I think recently I saw I think it's more of uh so it's been uh, over the past couple of months seeing this whole uh COVID situation and you know uh how are first responders uh you know end of the day it's a it's a deadly virus


and uh you know having having uh, other human beings are putting their lives at stake uh, uh to to to, uh save others I think that itself was something that uh gives me that that that uh


faith in mankind lah that you know not everybody is uh you know just for themselves or or, you know a mindful of themselves only lah yeah so for me that I think it's it's that experience uh that that, has restored faith in mankind


(mmhmm)


yup, (hmm), uh ya


(hmm) so those who went that extra mile lah, those went that extra mile lah, yeah


what is your favourite, !wow! I think it's ya that's like the potong ice cream the ice popsicle I remember after school you used to like go, buy one entire packet yeah and everybody will just split ten cents or something like that so I think I think that


uh childhood food what else,


!wow! do you think it'll do it now, (ppc) oh yeah, okay okay !wah! I should really try that lah, sounds damn Shiok bro okay okay #mee pok# with #laksa kuah# okay


nice then, I think I think for me was uh was a spin on the french toast so uh usually every weekend mornings uh I think my grandmother what she would do is so usually french toast is a bit


savory you know you've got your toast in eggs, so she would she would make some condensed milk into the eggs and then when it and then when you like when you fry that right oh my god it's like uh it's totally next level so when you have uh uh bananas with it [loh] you know it's like some chocolate sauce or something !wow!


it's like uh desert it's like a dessert breakfast that's really good really good, yes yes definitely bro we shall we shall, okay uh what is uh describe a moment what's the nicest thing someone has ever told you ya let's go to that one


, yup, yup uh


ya, yup yup I think I think, I think I think for me the the interesting thing was like uh for prelims so I had terrible scores I think I I was like uh thirty six pointer or something like that


uh ya and then I think I think, uh our form tutor at that point of time uh uh ya so you know uh no no no uh, err, ya so so uh


ya so uh he he actually when I got my prelim results he was really disappointed and I think when uh finally when my o-level results actually did come out and I and I did manage to score within the, the the, ya the JC range right he was really he was really proud lah I think the the thing they said is that you know I thought you would become uh I I thought you would end up you know uh doing some odd job for the rest of your life but uh


ya but uh you know I guess I guess you you did all of us proud you did yourself proud so I think that was something, that really uh validated uh how I how I felt lah you know what, something very very nice I remember, ya


okay describe your perfect day shall we go to that one since we've got about a couple of minutes left describe, the perfect day is


nice nice, uh would would with the perfect coffee right, yup


yup yup, yup


ya uh ya, and that's good weather so the important thing for perfect day's also good weather so you don't have too hot weather you have uh uh, medium uh breezy cloudy day, with a bit of sunlight gleaming here and there I think I think yeah I think we have the same idea of what a perfect day is ya


it, and ya and then maybe you you end off the day with uh you know sipping on a, on a, good nice cold beer I think I think yeah, barbecue and beer yeah ya


and I think that pretty much answers what what is our comfort food barbecue and comfort food and you know uh you know a good couple of uh you know good one or two beers I think that's that's really, you know oh


what's secrets of skills do I have, I don't think it's a secret I guess what is a skill would be, I don't know when I was younger I could dance I guess but now


but now I'm just stiff as I think I think my bones are are creaky lah but, ya yup yup


hoping so lah as long as I don't pop a few bones right I think I think I think we are all safe lah how about you


ya uh ya (ppc), it's called the it's called the creative moment of uh


you know under stress there's that there's that creative uh sudden burst right, I, I think I think it's called brilliance bro I think it's called brilliance


oh my uh ya ya ya I think I think ya it is because you're you're you're you're forced to actually put your your mind to overdrive to come up with it and that's why you come with the most quirky and and, innovative best stuff yeah that's true okay okay nice nice cool bro interesting uh


down memory lane ya


part one finance, okay err do you (hmm)


err do you have a a savings account, (hmm)


oh for me I think, my first one was like a shared account with my mom, so it, because I think I was much younger, so it's a shared account , but then my own one was when I had to start working after like a level, so that they can put in the salary so I went to go and get a


a debit card, ya, oh for mine is uh DBS because I mean POS bank and DBS they are like they just give one of it right so uh and then they told me that the debit card could be used more for online shopping so I just


preferred to take that ya (mmhmm) oh ya (mmhmm) (uh huh) uh okay okay


mine is the visa card because I think when I got it there still wasn't the, like the passion card version, ya ya ya ya


err do you think couple should combine their finances and open a joint account, I think


ya I think they should have their like one joint account and like their individual account too, so like yes like you said like the shared expenses can be going into a joint account, so it's like assessable for both parties, and then, ya and the individual account can be for their own like


keeping track of their own finances I guess, ya ya ya I think


ya I think my parents also have like, an account for just savings, and then , the other one for like more daily use and stuff ya, ya (hmm) I think mine was like


err right after a levels so that was err eighteen, (ppc), so it's like err you know there was a, big gap so I started working, and then the, err company required like a , bank account under my own name so I've decided to go get a new account just for myself


ya err what about you ya, I think it was like DBS I think I went to POS bank and they just give so it's like POS bank is like the more like everyone knows about it and then like it's like what you hear since young like oh POS bank okay so we just err


went to there and then they just gave me a DBS card I think because it was the debit card version, ya (uh huh) (mmhmm) ya ya I think


ya it was much more convenient to have a card like, during school days because ya I would forget to take actual money into school


ya that feature helps a lot especially now since we are like in uni and then it's like finance is a little, not very err it's quite tight so it's like every month we can keep it helps keep track of what we are doing, because since now right err especially for like both of us are from NTU it's like uh cashless so we just tend to just scan our card everywhere where when we spend which kind of becomes like a habit and we can lose track of what we're spending


so err that feature in the apps just help a lot to, see what how we are spending each month and like manage, better the next ya err no ya cause it's


err I think it's more I think it I think need to wait for a certain age, it's like, because now we don't have income to like, like, err clear off the, money ya so, ya ya interest ya ya


ya I know like as long as err they keep track of how you, like pay back all the expenses, and then they offer like a, plan based on that so I think like, I know my dad like usually tries to pay back immediately so I know like ya he gets a like he'll get once in a while he will get the offer to like


change plan and stuff ya but I think for now I think for now ya go ahead go ahead (hmm) ya I think


and also credit card has that option to like, in case we can't hit the like we don't have the money for it we can exceed it, and pay it back the following month right so I think it's more useful when we have such expenses and like have the income to like


actually pay it back ya ya, ya ya ya it's a option ya


do you have any experience purchasing insurance products from bank, ya ya


I know my dad like for a car insurance it was like, since I'm err err I think when he got the insurance I was still a p plate driver, so it was like much higher , and I think it, it also like so they ask like how many years experience I have so which is like one year which is also like falls into the higher category I think until up to like three four years of experience it it will always like


as long as he wants to put me my name under the insurance too, so it's like it also differs from that and also I think it's like the differs on the (ppc), the number of points he have , so it's like I think for my dad he didn't like he hasn't like uh got into any like err trap like traffic police letters or anything so his points are still like full


so it was also a bonus like in getting the insurance, ya ya ya


and also like I think once I followed my mom to the bank, for like a savings plan she was looking at , and then , so the person was like sitting down explaining us to us two hours like for like for two hours about how the plan work like, how I think the


benefits were like the interest is usually higher than like normal what's that called normal bank savings accounts like the , just the card itself so like she was trying to explain like the pros and cons and like , okay for us we didn't take it in the end because err I think it required a certain number of years before we could actually start


like, getting it back so it was like, ya , and it's like you have to hit the certain limit in like uh total before you can like


it's like it was like a , I think it was I don't remember the name but it was specifically meant for like uh retirement plans so like by my mom like if my mom had taken it she could only start taking the money back and it wasn't like a you can take the whole thing out they would give it out in like uh batches like each month


for like retirement err to help with retirement so ya so there's like those options out there also, ya ya


do you think the bank interest rate are like unattractive, ya


ya I think for me personally it's like , since I don't have a solid saving account for me it the interest rate doesn't really like affect anything because I keeps like, for me I'm still like under my parents financial like thing so it's like err I kind of spend what I get every month so it's like it doesn't really affect but I think from what I hear from my parents they do like look into different banks and like different accounts to see which one has its like


even like a little bit more interest rate to and they will deviate more towards the higher interest, and then, err sometimes they I heard I've hear heard them talking about different ways to save the money to get , higher interest other than just banks, so ya ya (mmhmm) ya ya my parents do that to ya ya and I think


stocks is a little bit more unpredictable and it requires more like you'd really need a ya, you need a solid knowledge, ya and then ya I think, my parents don't venture into those because I think they don't really know the background of that and


ya but I think ya gold was one, like it's a more clearer, way to invest like it's just , ya and you you have seen the growing trend in the pricing so it's like , uh people know it's it will keep growing, ya


actually I do you have any like, do take student loan to clear, ya


I know for student loans err for me I didn't take also but I know for student loans that's like the, two big categories one is the CPF loan itself , so we take it from our parents and then the other is the bank loan , and I know like CPF I think the interest only starts coming in after you graduate


eh ya, eh no no no CPF is the one which comes like, the moment you take it it starts but for bank it's after you graduate so like I know like a lot of my friends they were like trying to see which one is the better option like, I think if you can pay it back immediately the bank would be the better options because


the interest only starts after awhile but then ya uh if you need time to pay back I think CPF like, and it's also your parents' money so it's like, err you're not pressured into like, from uh external source to like payback the err loans I guess ya


, ya, ya


oh


ya I think, I think err we used to have housing loan for our HDB but then I I think my parents cleared it when we shifted house ya , ya , but I uh that's all I know about my family finances I guess like they don't really tell me about what are the loans they have and stuff ya


ya, ya, ya I'll start being involved with the, uh ya, even now sometimes my dad will ask me to read the insurance schemes he get and stuff to see what


(uh) if it's okay or not ya


part three negative experience, uh and I think


err ya that because (ppc) my brother was also at home so like , he there was like arguments going around and I usually tried to stay out of it but then ya sometimes you just feel like it comes to, like it starts affecting you because you are like oh you know like sometimes they just don't resolve it and then they just like go sleep or something and then it's like it the tension is still there but then ya but I think for my family isn't it was just small issues that they just


I think it's like you don't really have uh , I think it's like when there's nothing else to do they just start picking on small stuff ya, so uh but I, think the circuit breaker that wasn't the main problem for me it was more like just staying at home and not not seeing other people like my friends so it was like I started feeling like a little I think


err detached so like that feeling came for a while but then after a while like you know once people started getting into the zoom house party mode , that uh it was still it still was fine, ya foreign ya (mmhmm) (hmm) ya ya ya ya I think


I think the main problem for my parents was like okay my dad was still going to work like office so it's like ya he wasn't, , but my mum since she works at home right and like I think the workload increased the because like err the schedules and like you're staggering the timing so it's like err she would have to bring back home like a lot of work and the thing is like when you when you are usually working is like you go work


and even all the work stress you usually try to leave it there and then come home and then like unwind and relax and then the next day you go back and like, get back into that zone but then when you're doing it at home , you are just stressed at home, so it's like when people come like my brother I think he also had nothing to do so he would usually sit and watch TV in the living room which is where my mom used to work also so it's like afterward she just err stopped letting us into the living room so we were just stuck in our own rooms so it was just like that was happening so


but I think now it's okay already because she's back to work and then we were, ya we are also back to school, ya (hmm)


do you recall a movie scene that made you cry, err do you recall any movie scene that made you cry, ya (mmhmm) (hmm) ya ya ya I think


ya I think I cry pretty easily too but I, I think mine is like very easy like it can be a happy movie with like a small sad scene and I'll be like tearing a little but then ya uh I think, okay for me since I do it so often I think the first one I remember was like


err I think when I was younger, we my cousins used to watch harry potter a lot so I would just sit and watch with them even though I was too young to understand what was happening but I remember like scenes so I remember like when like you know harry potter like towards the end a lot of characters die, so ya especially when the owl and like the animals


die I'll be sitting down there and just crying , and then they will be like ya so, ya ya it's usually like someone it's not even the main character it's like the side character that you have like grown attached to and then they just , dying in the middle of the movie ya that makes me cry a lot ya


which ya, and usually like ya for me I think if I see even on instagram suddenly they will show some, injured dog or something I'll start tearing up, ya I cry very easily , ya if if oh my god even in movies if the dog something happens to the dog I'll be like no


ya ya it was ya ya


I think for me same also JC was like , I don't even know how that went by like, eh I think , after a o levels already I was like a little like studying became like a, like a chore like I didn't really like doing it at like it was like a forceful thing so like an a levels ya like you said like people around me for me it was a normal like


everyone, when into JC after o levels so it was like , but then there was those very smart people and my JC was like quite known for their studying culture like people just study all the time and that wasn't like what I used to do so I


and then it made me feel very bad lah like people are studying I'm not studying so ya for me it was so like , it I don't know something came over me I guess like I was just very like zoned out and like, I started like just, like you know like zone like, I don't know shutting out people that kind of things ya


ya and ya, err (mmhmm) ya ya


I think JC I had, I made like, a few handful of very good friends so they got me by the two years I feel like if not !wow! that JC was kind of a mess ya I didn't really do well education wise but I think , my friends helped me like


just move on from it and like just, start continuing like doing well in uni I guess, ya uh ya ya


and also like people branched out into very different things like I've a few friends went overseas , and uh like I'm in NTU a bunch of them aren't in anywhere so it's like and, schedule like even people between our own school our schedules clash so badly that we can't meet each other so it's like that's really hard to like


go around these days lah like I haven't met my like really good friends in like quite a while because our schedules are completely different, ya (mmhmm) ya ya ya


ya because last time JC we were all like even though we weren't taking the same subjects or something there was things in common so we used to like study out all the time and like , err that also led like eating lunch dinner together that kind of thing so we were like still like pretty tight , but now it's like


okay let's say my friend is in business and I'm in engineering it's like we can't even sit and study together because she usually will be like err doing more project based or like something err that requires like communicating so she'll be like on like doing group project what like with her team and then I'll be like


doing actual math and science so that it's like very different to actually study together also , it usually doesn't end up being productive like last time so it's like, uh we usually avoid that, ya ya


and it's like I think we also like stop finding like , like someone we can relate to more like within our own course or like someone who you who is like doing the same thing so we can also like, study together I think studying together like really , helps a lot of the


JC friendship and like uni on so it's like , I think I spend more time with like, my actual course meets and like, other like friends who I need to look like work with, so it's like ya, haven't seen my JC friends in very long too


ya (hmm) oh ya mine is


I think , like I think I'm I'm, very scared I'm I don't know if I'm scared I but really hate lizards that's my like !wow! like , don't even throw a like those rubber lizard at me that kind of ya it's like, I really hate it but


I don't know if I if if it's a fear or if I just, really dislike how it looks and stuff , ya do you have any uh (mmhmm) ya I think uh uh oh eh uh


ya I think uh same when I was younger I used to have a lot of I don't know like I think nightmares so it's like ya I would sleep with my parents also because I couldn't sleep alone , but I think that one over time now I'm like ya, it's uh my own room ya


ya that's why like usually on a at night I'll just like, if I want to get something from the kitchen I'll just walk in the bag and go get it ya, , but I think for my for me lizards has been there since like day one like, I can never get over it it I don't think I'll ever manage to get over it


ya, no it's particularly just lizard like I can, catch I I don't mind like you know when my friend sees a spider and starts I don't mind like taking the spider and putting it somewhere but if it's a lizard I'm out


[bah] I think, of course maybe once I think in secondary school I was getting ready to go school in the morning and one fell on me oh my god I was already scared of lizards that just made it worse that made it traumatizing it was like well I think my mom said I went into shock for like a few seconds she was like


and I I screamed so like she was she was sleeping and she ran out , and then she was like uh she saw me just shivering there and then, ya that was ya it was bad ya, but ya I think now, I think when I was younger when I see it already I'll like yell and none of it but now I'm like okay as long as it's far away and not


nearing me , I'm fine ya ya that's why , ya (hmm) any what pets I can't hear


oh no no I no I didn't, ya I mean I have facials but ya it was my dad's and, I didn't really it was I was too young to like, do anything ya


I think uni so far year two ah so , other than the academic being really rigorous and like err difficult , I think uni has been a it it has honestly been much better than JC for me, because


there's more people that I can like I, feel like everyone is going through the same thing somehow , ya there are the smart people who can do really well but I, feel like uh I see people like , I'm not the only one struggling like it's not a , I'm not saying that oh people should struggle with me but then I


uh I feel like I'm not like the, left alone like just , trying to like people I'm there are friends with me who are like trying to catch up with me also like catch up together like we are trying to get through this together so it's still not too bad, ya (mmhmm) oh ya ya ya I think


okay but one thing I see about uni right, people are much more open to making friends like , I feel like when you go like when you are alone like, okay because I had, I went for camp and then I managed to like I know my OG people and like I have a few close friends so we try to match our schedules as much as possible but then you know like all the like the


first come first serve that kind of thing and then like, I think this sem I couldn't get into few tutorials with my friends , but thing it's like, I know like as long as I see a familiar face and then I can I can I, kind of can go and talk to them because , usually people like we all know that we couldn't like


uh err you know we are doing the same thing like, we can just help each other err ya err I think for me


usually quite chill so I usually don't get into dramas like but then , I think it's not fight and, but then it's just you just slowly drift apart that has happened , like you were once very close and then like especially after secondary school I feel like JC made a lot of people like close in so it's like


uh you just lose touch with people who were once you were once very close to in like secondary school and stuff and then now it's like I've no idea what they are doing that kind ya


part two, positive experience,


err I think for me it's like, since now it's like, super busy seeing my friends usually makes me smile so it's like when I go to school, avi knows it's like I think I will make a I'll try to find whoever's in school to just go see them even if it's for like uh five ten minutes I'll go see and talk with them before going to my lessons or like


projects whatever that is ya, that's one ya (hmm) ya it's like


and like after COVID it's like being stuck at home being eating home food for like so long and then finally get going into like restaurants and even if it's group of five , sitting down and like chatting and eating is also like , one thing which nowadays is like, it makes me very happy these days ya


ya ya what else I think


ya for actually after second week uh especially I think very small things makes me happy already like , it's like because it's it's something something you do everyday, will completely disappeared while we are just staying at home, and for us was quite long because it wasn't just the lockdown our school


err ended kind of like early into the semester so it was like we stayed home for around like, five months was it ya so and, even now it's not completely like going to school like all our lessons, are kind of online but then we try to go to school as much as possible like for tutorials and stuff just so we can interact with other people


ya ya I think I think it's


the main way I kept myself occupied was , netflix and like also, , that's why we started like using modes like house party I was house partying a lot with my friends we were just like ahead, if we even like go into like it like late night just even though it started being a everyday thing but then I we realize like staying at home is like


err my parents were still working so it's like , no one is is there to like, entertain or like even like just interact with me so it's like started like relying on like these kind of platforms to like just err you know


ya, uh ya most of the time ya, ya it's like ya different ya ya


I think my mom was working from home like, it was like a like they had a schedule so it's like she'll be at home some days but then it's like I can't really go and disturb her because she was working and, ya I also started like cooking and baking a lot so it's like everyday I will just like !hey! when they come back I just give them something to try so it's like


ya that became a routine also, ya ya ya I feel


ya only towards the end I started realizing that actually I could have spent it more usefully so like at the I think the last month before school started for us , I I got like pin supplies and like err you know the paint by numbers people are doing so I got that also so it's like


it was the last month which I started like trying out different things the, before I was just like unwinding and just like actually is just relaxing all the time, ya ya


like that ya it was like, ya, it was a really good time to like explore other things ya, it was like completely for me it was like really no commitments , I like school cancelled exams so we kind of just like forgot about that so it's like ya so we just like it was like really nothing no one


pressure or using you to submit things or something ya, it was there any show like you saw which was really good in, during circuit breaker anytime also, ya anytime also (mmhmm) ya ya ya ya for me I think I think uh


ya ya ya for me I like I'm I was the I'm the kind of right every month I need to at least go to the theater once like it's a thing like it's expensive but ya it's like something that, I don't know I got used to from like JC I guess because it was very stressful and then going to the theatre was like a way for me to like


unwind and like relax and I love watching movies so it's like , during circuit breaker that was, like err it it, it doesn't you don't get the same feel watching movies on netflix and after a while like , nothing new started coming out all of the sudden so like after circuit breaker I think the first thing I did was actually to go watch a movie


like because they were still releasing like , few, limited movies in the theater so ya went to watch, movies ya ya (mmhmm) ya ya I ya ya I think


but I think one thing we started doing was netflix party actually ya like even some you know some shows like they are not good but then when you watch it with your friends it's so funny so it's like ya that's that's the kind of shows that I was watching throughout circuit breakers like they were actually just quality trash


so it's like , we were just like making fun of the show and just watching it together , ya ya so ya that was uh, oh and also like you know like , horror horror err genre like sometimes I would need someone like right next to me to watch it but then like I think me and my friend netflix partied like haunting of hill house it was a really good show


ya and I, it was also like I could finally start clearing my like show list that I had like things that I wanted to watch , ya ya ya it was it was a ya ya ah


I I got the supplies, ya but I didn't actually because I think school started by the time I, got to it ya then ya ya oh (mmhmm) if you


like you know after circuit breaker we can't travel if you could travel to like one place after all this is over , what would it be ya ya ya


and I think it's not really that safe to just, leave everything here and then go and then come back, but ya actually I, one thing I really miss is like travelling because ya we were also , err, we will go we were supposed to be even had the trip which we were planning for so everything got cancelled ya ya so it's like


for me it's like I think before, uh I used to at least go like one place every year and then it's like, it was a thing lah like it's like is it was the one place we could go and completely like relax and unwind, and then so it's like


I don't know when as long as you are in singapore something will keep stressing you out like you will like suddenly remember you have that commitment to like you need to attend to or like that assignment you need to submit so it's like , ya so we haven't had that in a while but ya if I could travel I think


, I don't even mind if it's a very nearby country I think I just want to go somewhere and come back, ya, and maybe ya, ya ya that's why but I think for me like I think


I was watching a lot of road trip videos especially for iceland , it was something that has now made it into the top of my bucket list , like it's something that I really want to do, ya ya ya ya everyone


ya same that's what I was doing like , I own like , you know there's like places we have been to before like india I've been to india a few times but then it's like that you have never seen the different side of it completely so it's like while I was watching like all those road trip videos it was like


you realize there's a lot out there that you don't know like you haven't seen so it's like it's something that ya road tripping is something I really want to do, once we have the time ya, what's a


I think for me one thing that I really wanted to start was painting like water colour and acrylics ya but then, I think, I'm not terrible at it I thought would be very bad at it I thought of it will look like absolute trash but then no it it was it wasn't the best but I think for a first timer it's fine


but then I didn't get the chance to like actually improve on it or anything , because ya uni started and I actually kept all the painting stuff in a corner of my cupboard already, ya ya ya ya


my I've a friend who is, ya I have a friend who is super good at water colouring but then I realize it's like , you have to invest a lot in the paper and in the paint itself so it's like , that's something ya and the, paper is really expensive so it was something that I was like okay let's start off with like


cheaper versions and like try to like , at least get a hang of it before like actually like going into the high-end ones, ya ya ya (mmhmm) (uh huh) oh on netflix ya


I think I was just watching those, I was watching like old classics, , a few of like those very talked about shows that I just never got the chance to watch so I just I was just clearing those, ya


actually after circuit breaker what was the like the food that you went for like , you know like after very long, of eating at home what was the what was the like the food you ya (mmhmm) ya ya actually (mmhmm)


ya for me it was like just, even mixed rice I started okay for me I think since my parents were working a like, I would still like go and, Tapau food back so it was still like , I mean like bring back the food ah so it's like err I wasn't really missing it a lot but I started missing like


going to restaurants and sitting and eating so that was like, ya, but the food I think ya I still got deliver deliveries and stuff so my cravings I, I was still like okay with it, ya ya I think I think


for now we are like damn uh very busy with like err uni but I think after , err exams are over we are planning to like at least celebrate like one of our friend's birthday, in like a staycation away so ya, I think I can look forward to that ah


err my cousin and her, husband went there for their anniversary like because, they can't really go overseas or anything so they just decided to stay cay at MBS, ya what was your ya ya ya


ya it's a chance to like just, because, I think after a while we we get bored of just hanging out like near our houses or like at a mall so like I think, after circuit breaker like me and my friends we decided to go like , treck, hiking on like you know the macritchie trail so we decided


ya we err I think none of us had been there so like we were like okay you know what might as well we go try so it was tiring but then like ya it was something new , like we had never been to that part of singapore like I never knew that like !wow! such like forestry area existed


ya ya (mmhmm), ya that'a a it's a option that like people tend to like


not realize until like they are they don't really have other things to do I guess, ya uh I think ya that's , was there anything else you did after like


ya err, ya now it doesn't even feel like it doesn't even feel like uh ya ya


part one finance, okay let's okay go ahead first


ya I do , a savings account that I have was I mean started from a kids' account that I started when I was twelve I think that's when you can start an account right ya I went right after my birthday and then ya I got the savings account


but, during that time you can only get like the basic debit card so using that you can only withdraw like money from the ATM you can't really do anything else, ya how about you (mmhmm) err


what debit card do you have now,


I had my debit card the one the ATM card from before but then, I changed it recently and then they had two options one was the visa card and one was the passion card, and then like okay for me I chose the chose to go with the passion card because the visa card wasn't really useful for me because you only get


like interest or cashback when you have when you spend a certain amount of money I think it was four hundred dollars or something that's what she told me but like we don't really spend four hundred every month like as students right , so ya I opted for the passion card the passion card you can get back


you can get like cashback or something from spending at certain stores like guardian or whatever, ya err


because okay I got I got mine recently I changed it recently that's why she had like two options to choose from, ya, but I think now the cards also you can, use, paywave or


ya flashpay so it's easier, I, I think they should as in my parents do that I know they do have a they have their own account and they do have a joint account like I feel like the joint account is more for


like, combined expenses for the family, ya and like, so they put in like a specific amount of money each month from their own account into the joint account, how about you I think my


parents use the joint account just as like a savings account, because like you do get interest out of it right even though the interest isn't super high but, ya ya


it's already like they don't really use that, the money in that account like for their everyday thing, ya when you draw money and stuff they choose their own, like a personal account (mmhmm)


ya what age did you start as in what age did you, did your parents ask you have an ATM card, and manage err then uh what


you are using DBS now right is it because your parents use DBS then you just follow, ya ya (mmhmm) ike


mine I got it at twelve or something cause, ya my parents were particular about it and like because it was easier for them to send me pocket money I used to like ask them for cash and they didn't like have cash on them on all the time so do your like you can just draw whenever you need the money then you just put it in my account ya it's easier that way


(mmhmm) ya ya h, and it's like uh for like top-up and stuff like it's easier also


I think it's good to have it when you're younger, so that like you know how cause it's, kind of like your own money already then you just manage how you want to spend, plus like in the if you go log on to the ibanking and stuff right then you can it kind of breaks down for you your expenses like depending on where you spent it spent the money like if it's food then if you are paying at like a restaurant or something it would go under food


you can see like the bar chart and like take note also, ya it will just, you can like it will help you, it'll help you like show your, incoming money and like how much you spend so you kind of know how much you're spending each month


which is, easier than if like we were to spend in cash, ya ya ya


instead of like spending cash and having to write down where we exactly spend and for what, ya (mmhmm) do you do you have credit no right


ya like I think for credit you need like a certain amount of you need to show them that you are earning a certain amount right for them to give you the credit card, I think it also depends like, if you earn more or something like if you don't have, any issues with paying back the credit then they'll like offer you a better


err plan or something I think my, I think the bank called my dad or something and then like err offered like a better credit card something because he kept as in he pays on time and stuff, ya ya I think recently okay


uh recently I think my dad err, he signed up for this , OCBC thing if I'm not wrong that this OCBC credit, err thing where like you have to spend five hundred each month and then you'll get back like


a certain amount of money for that amount that you spend using the credit card so ya I think , err like if you know that your expenditure is going to be is this amount right each month then like you can uh find plans that will help you like get some money back


ya payback ya


like once we start earning and then like if we have to, pay like , I think okay for tuition you don't really use credit, right ya but, I mean our parents can if they want to like if our tuition fee is due at this time and then they can uh use credit first and then pay back later


(mmhmm) insurance okay I, personally I don't think I have insurance for anything yet like


not that I know of but like, I know err, my dad recently got the car insurance, ya so that's the only thing that I know I mean, err, for that car insurance like there's a lot around and like each insurance differs in what they like offer or like how they protect you from whatever damages or something


ya uh I think, the one that he took was aviva or something, ya the err ya


I heard like for inexperienced drivers like they have, you have to pay a higher like amount for insurance cause like, for the insurance company like it's more risky as in to have a new driver driving around like there's


more chances of like accident and stuff so like ya you have to pay higher insurance for that, (mmhmm)


oh oh ya ya ya like they hold on to the money for like a number of years before you like they give you back money ah, (mmhmm)


sometimes it's like better than, like, using these plans are better than just saving the money in the bank cause like usual normal savings like you don't get, much back the interest is pretty low, like compared to if there's a specific plan for you that


will help you , earn back more, then like if you just put money in the bank, and wait on the interest, I think


okay I think or most of the banks as far as I know they don't really have much of a difference there isn't any huge difference they all like around the same interest rate, and like , different banks like give out different plans according to whatever as in


the majority demographic, are customers you have like if there are people , who spend more like , via credit card and stuff they got like plans catered to them, so like ya I don't


I don't think the interest rates are like attractive lah like I don't think you get much money back just from putting money in your bank, ya


ya like I think my dad he , invested in like gold or something, uh like, cause we okay like indians we do wear a lot of like jewellery and stuff right then he was like instead of like


keeping the money in the bank then like might as well invest in the in gold when it's like, the prices are pretty low and then like if in the future if you want to sell it then like we can sell it when the prices are a bit higher then like you will get profit from it like and the profit is like usually better than if you just kept the money in the bank like it's much faster it goes much faster


ya and likes , and like stocks too but I don't really think the stocks in singapore, (uh huh), like vary a lot like I don't think we can earn as much as far as I know


, it's like a daily thing, and like it's very stressful ya, it's like easier ya


no I don't I don't take student loan but like, I do know like people who's take student loan but I'm not sure which bank, but student loan should be usually like, , the same kind of thing as


credit as in they'll loan to you then you have to like pay back in like whatever amount that is state, ya do you (mmhmm) ya I think


I think the bank current set it as such because like after you graduate then you start working then you start earning so that you can payback but like if you are doing part-time midway also like you can payback before like the interest starts increasing so you don't have to pay as much ya


if you have like side jobs or something while in uni, then you can help pay off like faster, do any other loan


car not really (mmhmm) oh ya ya


I think like when we grow older then you have to like focus more, like now we don't really care but after awhile we have to, like, go and research and stuff ya


part three negative experience, how did you feel like staying at home, for, these four months as in did you have any


problems with your family cause like, since all of you are at home like twenty-four seven right then sometimes like, you're stressed and then you take it out on each other how was it, like did anything like that happen


ya I agree that like when you are at home right then, like, you usually start picking on like small issues that you would probably ignore if you like were out and doing other stuff ya since uh like everyone was at home then like we were seeing each other twenty-four seven and like ya


we had, quite a few arguments also like, I think they were just more irritable because like work was still work and like I think working from home was actually a worse experience than like going to work to work cause like when you are at home


like, you would be working there isn't, like, time for you to like go to work like, you'll be available twenty-four seven , like sometimes you have to like attend stuff that is like beyond like the normal working hours like if you were to go work it will be from nine to five right then after that you wouldn't really have to do anything but like when working from home like


there isn't really a specific allocated time for you to work so ya I think, err (ppc) my parents were busy like some of the times and like, ya they were pretty irritable to be around with but I think it's better now


ya (mmhmm)


ya I think it would be better if like you could go back home but I mean go out and like, go out for a walk and stuff but, during the circuit breaker time like you couldn't, as in they were kind of strict, you couldn't really loiter around and stuff so like going out and taking a breather was difficult


then like you're just stress at home which is kind of, sad ya sorry oh movie ah I mean


okay I usually don't tend to watch the all the sad story sad movies cause I cry pretty easily, and like I think, a movie which made me cry okay there was this drama that made me cry recently


err like, I think it was about mental as in it was about like err mental issues and stuff, and like how people deal with things and like I think there was this character who was like,


this army veteran or something so he was part of the world war or something, and then like, he had PTSD from, going through that horrible experience and then like he couldn't really mingle around like with the society afterwards like after what he's been through during war and stuff


like I think, ya and like at okay lah like at the last part of the drama he kind of overcame, whatever, ya which was pretty nice to, see but it was also kind of sad like ya, and we don't really think about


those things right like during war like we just like after the war then okay that's fine everyone's happy but Iike those who've been through war like they do have like, really bad experiences or like memories that they can't like just shake off and like move on


ya that's kind of sad, do you watch anything,


oh ya like seeing your favourite character, die


oh ya you you really like dogs right,


oh okay like, I think, a negative okay now I would, I think my lowest, was when uh I was in JC, as in I feel like, okay secondary I think primary school and secondary school were fine then like JC was pretty stressful


especially since like , my JC like they, err they came from like, the foyer as in like it was a six so majority of them like kind of knew each other and like knew what's up, like they didn't they didn't do


o levels like I went in as a JAE, and like ya so like what they, I felt like they learnt a level stuff before we learnt a level stuff, cause, our o level curriculum is different from their six-year course and like ya but I think they were the people were nice it's just that it was very stressful like the studies and stuff


uh and especially since it was only two years I think two years was like pretty rush, to, complete all the content that was that we were supposed to complete, ya, and like people around me was, like super smart


so it was like really hard like even even if you try really hard right you don't really score as much also there's always someone who's doing like better than you, yet, uh no matter how hard the paper is like there will be always someone getting a like I don't I don't even know how


ya I feel like it was difficult to make friends eh like I, mean can't, coming out of the JC like experience right coming to uni it was difficult to make friends, as in I feel like we just stuck with the friends that we already had like in secondary school or like JC


ya, but it was ya after that like it was pretty, after you shut yourself off then it's very hard to open up and like make friends, ya


I feel like JC friends also other than like the closer friends I have it's like hard to keep in touch with them cause it was only like two years right so they didn't really care for like to make friends and stuff it was just to like oh come to school just study for these two years and like do a levels and then just leave


ya ya like


a lot of my friends also like they're doing different things now right then it's really hard to keep in touch with them also like the closer friends also because you don't really have, much in common, now you can update each other but then like you are doing very different things and like like different experiences so like it's really hard to meet up and talk also then I feel like


sometimes you lose out on the friendship, like it just slowly fades away then you don't really talk to them any more, ya ya


ya it's very hard to maintain the friendship and it's, kind of sad because like once you were like pretty close and then now like you feel like you got nothing to talk about, uh ya


ya even like the friends in NUS like, we don't really get to talk to them as much unless like we allocate time to go meet them outside and stuff, ya ya


uh what is your greatest fear I mean like do you have fear of something like my friend has fear of heights, she's like really scared,


okay I used to be, really afraid of like drowning before okay that was before like I I actually learned swimming my ya cause there was, I think there was this experience that I almost drowned once , ya then like from then I was scared


but after that my err, parents like made me go swimming and stuff then, now it's fine ya, oh I used to be scared of the dark too, like I when I was younger I couldn't go to sleep I had to go to sleep before my parents went to sleep


like I couldn't sleep alone , like I start seeing things it was just kind of scary then I walked to my parents' room and be like can I sleep beside you, ya but now


ya now now I can walk in the dark also it's fine,


was it is it only lizards or like, just insects in general uh (mmhmm) oh oh damn oh


then you just like move away from it you're like I don't want to see it, , have you had any pets no right, any pets pets uh right no did you have any


bad moments in uni, know I feel like


okay for me I didn't go (ppc) I didn't go camp right so I feel I didn't really get to see a lot of my course mates other than like (ppc) the lab mates I made friends with ya then like sometimes some like I have to go alone it was pretty sad like ya then


cause I don't, I mean like the people I know, not, everyone would take the same mark as you right so if there's this particular mark they have to go alone then you have to like do it alone and then make friends which is scary like you can't just


I can't just go up to someone and like make friends it's hard, to make friends like that,


have you ever like have fought with your friends or had a breakout


(mm)


part two, positive experience, okay let's start what are the small things that make you smile shangkri


ya especially during like this COVID period right like we didn't really go out of the house much and get to see each other much for like the long period of time like the circuit breaker but then now we can finally go to school but it's still like, the interaction is limited you don't really see your friends as much because all most of the lessons are online now right


ya then, ya like seeing people in school is and like just talking to them is fun, ya ya


ya it's like different from, like talking on zoom like even though we are talking, and like it's, like technology's advance that you can see the person but it doesn't feel the same as like when you actually get together, and like talk to the person face to face


ya ya


did you watch (ppc) did you get to watch any show like, during the circuit breaker like what did what do you do to keep yourself occupied,


ah so so you were alone at home, ya uh ya I think like, I remember we played scribble do we always came online to play scribble, ya, plus okay for me my for me my parents were at home like they work from home so it was like we had people around but then like


seeing seeing them every day and like, meeting out with your friends is ya it's a different, ya ya I think


I think everyone like started doing their own hobby and stuff like, everyone started like cooking or like baking at home cause, usually when you, when you don't have to say at home usually you just go out and like get food or something, ya oh ya ya ya ya like okay I


I tried painting also but then like after school started then you don't really have the time any more I don't think we will ever have like a proper time any more, other than that three months ya the show err


I didn't okay I didn't really watch a lot like uh show because I I I cannot commit to shows like I watch like movies and like stuff, but a lot of movies didn't come out, this time also as in on that night in the theaters and stuff it was like directly released on web or like netflix or hulu ya


what you say first


ya and it's like more fun watching with your friend like if you watch like netflix or something unless you netflix party like you'll be watching it alone and then ya and then it gets boring after a while, ya and like when they open the theatres I think there were still restrictions right but a lot of people like still went to watch movies


we can trash the show together , oh ya (uh huh)


ya the list of shows you want to watch right ya, I watched that too but I watched it alone, haunting of hill house it was scary, no I think if you watch it with someone then it's like it's fine, cause uh ya and then


I also I think I picked up, , embroidering like I left it off, I I, embroidered before but then like after school started then I like stopped, but then like during the circuit breaker like I could get back and finish it again


ya it's really oh you got the supplies ya, ya and it takes a really long time and like your thumbs will hurt after a while


ya uh, and I also tried stitching, but like, it was an intense experience like, okay it was fun but it was a lot of work also you needed to like actually be skilled in like stitching your own clothes or altering clothes


ya, cause my dad got a sewing machine like last year but we didn't really use it cause we, we didn't have the need to use it, but then like I realized a lot of my clothes I wasn't wearing cause like it didn't fit right or something but like it could be altered so that I could wear them then my I tried altering some of it like some of it was fine then ya the rest I need to practice more but I don't think I'll be practising anytime soon


oh that one place , we were planning to go to new zealand like my dad wanted to go this december or something


ya but then this happened, (ppc) but I think you can go, as in, new zealand's borders are open but I it's not for like tourists and stuff, ya ya


ya ya the overseas one, ya


ya and somewhere out of singapore doesn't matter if it's like JB or something also like you can just drive to JB together uh with your friend, ya uh


ya like, uh we kept binge watching like me and my friend she kept sending me like road trip stuff, and like we should do this in the future, but ya then there were a lot of videos that I watched and like lived through


their experience doing what did you start


any like new hobby or discover something about yourself, (hmm) painting ah ah


ya same the last time I painted was the one that, we went out to paint together, at were there next, ya, but then I think okay I want to try watercolour but, I think watercolor is pretty hard, cause, my friend takes watercolour and like in uni she takes a a module in uni for watercolour and then like


like it seemed so hard, like just to get something correct like with colours correct she have to mix like a few times to like get like the exact colour or something and then like her assignment now is to like, err, paint like this picture that her teacher took


ya then she she had to like do it so many times, as her ya the supplies like


acrylic or something you start off with the simple paint first, ya what, I also would watch this


other show where like, there was this show that was about, going to, err different people's house and like, asking them, if they can eat dinner together with them I think it was like quite wholesome like this two host go around


like the neighbourhood asking them like, like different neighbourhoods got like different vibes right like okay this is in another country but like ya and like they go around asking whether they can have a meal with the family, and like, and when they invite the person in then they'll talk about like I think there was this old couple in this episode then they were asking them how they met and stuff


then ya like their love story and stuff it was quite cute, ya, oh no no no it was some other show, ya did you watch ya ya


eating like going out and eating, ya cause like everyday you have to, as in, you could deliver food back home but then like most of the time you'll be eating at home, then like going out and eating


like, as in you could eat like your favorite hawker, food sometimes when you cook at home it's not as like good as hawker food uh ya, like even though hawker food is unhealthy right but ya it still tastes better sometimes


ya


would you go for staycations did you err did you hear about the the tourist voucher thing, ya


ya like I know this friend, of mine like I think she she went for family for like her mum's birthday then they went MBS or something, ya, I think it's like like closest vacation experience you can have


like in


I feel like we didn't really go to a lot of places in singapore also as in, as someone living in singapore we we haven't really seen all the tourist attractions we usually go to like the usual, , like sentosa the beach or something


ya I think now like being, stuck here I think we can go explore more places,


oh the treetop walk is it, like


ya like everyday we don't really go and explore like we wouldn't go hiking in singapore , like if it's in other countries then we'll be more interested going hiking but like you can do it here too it's just that we don't do it, ya


I don't really think there's anything else because school started and like, we don't really have much time any more, and it was like completing assignments and catching up on lectures, ya so you can only do, so you can only do like your hobbies and stuff during like holidays ya


do you okay part one


I I I I start first ah, okay part one finance, okay I ask first


do you have a saving account, do you have a saving account correct lah


okay, details I don't think we need the details lah but then uh like you mentioned just now is the saving account is a normal ya I