In the (Australian) summer of 2025, I started The List and one of the first things I wrote down was to learn to solve a Rubik’s cube. I was dating a boy who could solve a Rubik’s cube, actually, up to 30 cubes, with his eyes closed. When he told me that he was into cubing, we had only just met and I thought it was the nerdiest thing anyone has ever told me.

“Do you know how I used to solve them?” I asked.

“You peeled off all the stickers and rearranged them…” he replied. “Do you know how many people have told me that?”

I put solving a Rubik’s Cube on The List since it was something that I thought about doing for years. I started and failed spectacularly in my youth and decided that since I’d now have a coach, might as well.

I asked him if he could give me a Rubik’s cube keychain to practice with. I was leaving in February for my big trip and didn’t want to add to things I had to pack away. Plus, I liked the idea of having something small to hold onto when the romance ended.

Instead, he found me a tiny cube (he found the keychain later) and to help me learn, sent me YouTube tutorials. He watched in exasperation as I struggled to turn the thing (tiny cubes are really hard to twist!!) and cheered me on as I slowly worked through each step.

“I’d be so proud if you manage to solve it before I see you again.” he said

I solved it in 2 days with virtual coaching and YouTube videos.

You’d think that one YouTube video would have helped you get it right (it did not). I had to also grapple with cube lingo, lefts and rights, clockwise and counter-clockwise. I was pretty bad. I got there eventually. The rush of adrenaline when I finally got it right was exhilarating. After all, this escaped me for years. As a child, I lived in an era PRE YouTube tutorials. It was no wonder I never figured it out. Even as an adult, I had to watch various tutorials plus received instructions from a coach to get it right. Whoever thought this was suitable for 7-12 year olds without proper instruction is insane. 7 year old me would have never figured out the algorithm by myself. Actually, 35 year old me barely did either.

I reckon the next step is to really remember the algorithms and solve it without YouTube videos. He later gave me a proper cube because I struggled so much with the small one. Instead of practicing and solving the cube myself, I used to scramble it every time he came over so that I could watch him solve it under 10 seconds.

“It makes for a good party trick.” He told me.

“What sort of parties have cubes lying around?” I laughed.

“People used to magically spawn them because they know I can solve them.” he replied, a little sheepishly.

Maybe one day I’d be able to solve it like that but for now, I’d just rely on YouTube. After that romance ended, I saw a dating profile that said “can solve a Rubik’s cube in 5 minutes". I swiped left.

I left the tiny and full-sized cubes back home and that romance ended too. But on the backpack that goes around the world with me, hangs that Rubik’s Cube keychain, as a reminder of this time and the fact that I can actually solve one if I tried.

If you’d like to also finally crack the code to a Rubik’s Cube:

Here are some resources:

1. This explains some cube lingo

2. A YouTube Video

Actually there are a bunch of YouTube videos! My tip is.. if you don’t understand one, try another. Some are better than others!

Instagram can be a wonderful source of inspiration. Inspired by Jake Hurwitz (see video above), I too penned down (or tried to) a list of 300 things to do before I die. I’m currently hovering at 202. I haven’t quite reached 300 and am still pondering about what else I should include in this list.

Before you start down the spiral of “oh I don’t know if I can do all of this before I die” or “300 is a lot” - hold up. It’s not a strict “MUST TICK OFF EVERY SINGLE ONE” kind of list. Jake’s idea, really, is that it’s more of a guide to living a fulfilling life. If you get through even a handful, that’s already something. That’s already living.

What I love most is that you can include anything. It’s not just about big-ticket life or travel goals.My list has things like “solve a Rubik’s cube”, “sabering a champagne bottle” and “learn to whistle with your fingers”. It also has things like “start a soup kitchen”, “become an entrepreneur” and “attain financial freedom”.

Whether I actually get through all of it is another question entirely. Compiling this list means I have some sort of semblance of a road map to how I want to live my life and I have a point of reference to try something new or work towards one of the things on the list. The possibilities are endless!

I started a list after reading Bill Perkins’ Die with Zero, and took it further after Jake’s post. Bill takes it up a notch by bucketing items into age/time categories, with the idea that some things are better done at certain ages. Like learning to snowboard for example - it’s much easier when you’re younger. I haven’t gotten that organised yet (still stuck at 202 my friends!) but I think it’s a brilliant idea.

Last thing. I am meant to share the actual list with people. The idea is twofold, the first is to inspire people to do the same and the second is that people also love helping you check off things you didn’t think were possible. I’ve just been sharing about the idea, but cringe and die inside at sharing the actual list.

But! In an act of courage (DEEP BREATH), I present to you: THE LIST

**some notes about the list:

• I started it at the beginning of the year and expanded it in June 2025.

• Some things had already been done before this list ever existed. I’ve listed these in a separate category.

• I have more categories than Jake. Just saying.

Would love to know. What’s one big thing you’d put on your list? Or has this inspired you to start one of your own? 😊

So the key takeaway about turning 35 is…

HEALTH IS WEALTH, HEALTH IS WEALTH, HEALTH IS WEALTH.

And with that, here are some other notes.

I never thought I’d get here and honestly I’m still processing 2019 so it comes as a shock to me that 5 years have passed. To be fair, 35 isn’t a big milestone but for some reason, the Singapore government has deemed this as THE magic number. This is year that the government deem you to be ‘unmarriageable’ and has graciously allowed 35 year old singles to purchase public housing. 35 is also the last year you can legally freeze your eggs. I had imagined that this was far far away for me, but I blinked and it’s here.

To say your 30s are your best years is true. I am more confident and comfortable in my skin. I make no apologies for reclaiming parts of myself that have been lost, though I will admit that I still struggle with making peace with not fulfilling expectations of others.

Here’s to the next 5 years!

On Time

1. Time accelerates as you get older.

   When I was in school, the years seem so long. What? 12 years of this? It seemed impossible to get through. But now that I’ve gone passed being able to mark ‘milestones’ through school, time has accelerated. Whether I’m at my corporate job or on my gap year, each day, week, month has gone by so quick.

2. Do the things you say you want to do.

   Now that you know that time waits for no one, I’ve set out to do the things I say I want to do. Your girl has a long list of interests and hobbies, and she intends on doing them all. This is remnant from the Covid years. When the world stops for 2 years and you didn’t know how long it was going to be put on hold, one of the things I did once things reopen was to go out and do the things on my list that I’ve been putting off.

3. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen

   I am vain. Anti-ageing and anti-skin cancer begins with sunscreen. I used to go to the beach in a bikini. Now that I’ve spent copious amounts of time in and by the sea, I am usually clothed head to toe (gloves included).

On Mindset and Learning

4. There is so much I do not know.

   The thing with having many hobbies is that you find yourself being a beginner at a lot of things. I am constantly learning from people who are way further than me in the journey. Remembering that I have so much to learn helps me stay humble and pushes me to learn more.

5. Finding mentors

   This I learnt from dance. If there is an opportunity to go for one-on-one coaching, DO IT. Your learning is accelerated and it’s amazing how much value you get from just an hour. This is something I’m still working on because one-on-one coaching is pricey but I know for sure that the value I will receive will outweigh the cost, especially when it’s a great mentor. I’ve also been SO LUCKY to have met great teachers while diving.

6. Embrace failure

   This definitely stems from my childhood but the fear of failure, even though it’s the first time I’m doing something, is deeply ingrained in me. I felt like there was no room for mistakes and I’m often waiting for the criticism that comes along with the failure. Being here in Bali has been really healing for me because for the PADI system believes in positive reinforcement. It’s actually almost cringey but I’m loving this positive reinforcement and specificity. Most importantly, I’m giving myself the chance to keep practicing and not give up.

7. Take action first, ask for forgiveness later

   Sometimes waiting around for someone to give you the go-ahead can feel like you’re wasting time. I now tend to take action first and ask for forgiveness later.

On Making Plans

8. Saying ‘YES’ to things

   Hear me out, most of today’s rhetoric is to slow down and learn to say no. I feel like I’ve gotten good at doing that. So I want to flip things around and say yes to opportunities that come my way, with less hesitancy. It was in saying ‘Yes’ to this dive master internship that I found myself in Bali. It was in saying ‘Yes’ to doing the mermaid course that I found myself becoming a mermaid instructor and being interested in freediving. It’s in saying ‘Yes’ that I’m off to on a liveaboard in October.

9. Leave room for surprises in life

   Prior to making my way to Bali, my intention was to do a world-tour to learn 4 languages. Seoul was meant to be first stop. Often I’ve made plans and held on to them so tightly, which resulted in a lot of anxiety. Lately I’ve been making them but leaving some room for surprises. It’s not to say that I don’t freak out about said plans. Just the other day I was freaking out about booking my RTW trip, because I wanted to leave room for surprises and be non-committal. But I booked it anyway, trusting that there will be surprises.

On Friendship

10. Making friends

    Getting back into social dancing has been a great way to make friends and so has adding people on instagram. It’s not enough to just turn up at things though, connections are formed by taking a step. “Hey, do you want to grab dinner before class?”, “Hey, would you like to go for the festival together?”, “Hey, would you like to come to our New Year’s Eve party?”. I will admit that I am introverted and like to stay at home a lot AND am socially awkward, but I’m glad I’m stepping out of my comfort zone, albeit a good decade too late hah.

On Love & dating

11. Dating is hard

    I lose interest quick and am suspicious of people on dating apps. I am still very resistant to joining a run club, because inherently I can’t do things that I have no interest in. Might have to start my own croissant cafe book club at home and get people to bring friends - that’s a pretty good way to make friends no?

12. I want a husband

    There. I’ve said it. A good one please, thanks universe!

For my 40th, which will come faster than I think, I’m gonna ask people who are in their 40s for life advice. That will make a pretty good article!

I’ve been living in a 4 bed-room townhouse with 3 other housemates for the last 4 years, so thankfully not all the things in the house belong to me. However, the sheer amount of items in my room alone, baffle me. Haven’t I been SO GOOD at decluttering and not accumulating along the way? Clearly not.

When Marie Kondo took the world by storm, I was both equally fascinated and skeptical. I loved the idea of having a minimalist home with only items that you love in it. But how does one live fight off the guilt? I was committed to deciphering whether something sparks joy and but could not find it in my heart to ruthlessly let things go.

“But what if you need it?” and “but.. it still works and is in good condition” are constant battles I face. We refused to throw out a DVD player left behind by a previous housemate. A whole year and a half later, I eventually dropped that DVD player off at the Savers, along with a few bags of all the things I didn’t need anymore. I still feel the guilt gnawing at my heart. I read an article a while back about the Shinto beliefs of animism, about how a soul lives within all existence and phenomena. It is with this in mind that everything around you, including the inanimate should be treated with respect and care. Perhaps Marie Kondo’s method of thanking your stuff and letting it go is the remedy for this guilt.

Anyway, all this to say that the packing went somewhat well. I have meticulously created a list of all the items in each box so that when I go searching for them again, I’d be able to find it easily. I suspect that apart from the winter and sports gear that I’ve stashed away, it is highly likely that I will not need anything else.

I’ve managed to whittle down my items to fit in a large suitcase, weighing only 28kg. For a 6 month adventure, it seems to be quite reasonable. As it is, I’ve only used about one third of the items I’ve packed. Although the jury is still out on whether I’ll get through the rest of the items in my suitcase and add on more stuff hah. I suspect that I will.

Starting over isn’t new to me. 10 years ago, I left my home country to move to Melbourne. For years I yearned to leave. I hated the education system, the pressure and the expectations. When I did finally leave, settling in Melbourne took awhile. I was riddled with anxiety and coping with a heartbreak so unbearable that I turned to drinking. It was a dark time, but I emerged eventually. Despite the doubts and naysayer (just one), I built a home and life that I thoroughly enjoy. The pain of those early years was worth it.

It’s my last week at my corporate life. 10 years of navigating corporate and finance speak, of showing up 9 am to 5 pm, building a repetoire of negotiating legal documents, explaining risks and writing instructional and/or angry emails. My attempts at balancing some sort of creative pursuit inevitably falling by the way side, preferring mindless consumption instead of expanding the effort to create. So I truly excited for this time and space to indulge. The initial plan was to do a year of travelling, coupled with language learning. A dream that was inspired by Scott Young’s “A Year Without English” but a dive master internship opportunity in Bali came out of the blue (sorry mum, if you’re reading and pun also intended!).

In a world of instant gratification, social media comparisons and the news constantly spotlighting people who became CEOs in their 20s, it is so easy to feel like I’m not on the ‘right path’. Tack on the ‘Asian Parent Gold Standard’, I have fallen short by a litany of ‘Do Not Haves’. Yet, I’m more assured and confident in myself than I’ve ever been. I realise that I’m just on a different path, doing things that other people do not have the luxury and privilege to do. I am so grateful that I get to do this.

And just like 10 years ago, where I started a blog to write about settling in Melbourne, I’ve come full circle. Starting over again, on a different platform and heading to a different country. First stop, Bali.

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