“I moved to Singapore about five years ago and became a PR last July. The decision was made because of the financial opportunities and stability I could find here. Having lived in KL eight years before, you’d be surprised how expensive life is there compared to Singapore.

I was lucky as I got a job easily thanks to my work experience and the niche nature of my industry. As for accommodation, my partner at the time had moved here months in advance and secured a place for us to live in together.

Relationships come and go unfortunately; we parted ways after 10 years of being together. Not all relationships end badly, though; we remain very good friends to this very day! Anyway, I moved to a new place with a few like-minded friends not long after.

At the same time, I was presented with an opportunity to start a company with a close friend from college. We worked hard on it and I actually considered going back to Malaysia to launch the startup, but moving back was a huge risk.

Unlike most people, I have no relatives to rely on. If anything were to happen to me, I do not have the luxury of calling on a family member for help. Faced with the high financial risk of startups, I had to ask myself what was it that I really wanted.

Do I move back to launch a project that will eat up all of my hard-earned savings but potentially take off after at least two to three years of hard work, or stay in Singapore for a predictable job that will fund my travels and stay-fit lifestyle on top of paying for my health and medical insurance?

The answer was obvious; I stayed. Am I proud of how far I’ve come? Yeah, I am! I’m currently a senior content planner and the company I’m with have pretty interesting accounts.

My room at my new apartment? When I first moved in, the walls were grimy and filled with decals, so I removed everything and painted the whole room by myself. I also decided to fork out and bought several pieces of nice furniture.

Most people would not bother because they feel that it is but a ‘temporary arrangement’, but I’ve learnt from years of living in rented apartments that if you aren’t willing to spend a bit more to make a place feel like home, you’ll always feel dissatisfied somehow. Today, every time I step into my room, be it after a long day or a long trip, I feel happy that I’m finally home.” – Evonne, 29