1. Putting aside the yearning for education

After finishing my diploma in food science and nutrition, I spent almost a decade in customer-facing work and told myself that I was not keen to return to school again. Looking back, I was putting aside my yearning for further education to fulfil what felt most urgent, which was ensuring my financial stability. However, beneath the practicality, I spent a lot of time feeling lost, unsure of who I was or what I really wanted.

2. A curiosity about the weight of the world

Counselling was not something I had always envisioned for myself. It came to me slowly through small moments that I did not fully understand at the time. I remember a young schoolgirl with eczema approaching me at work once and asking for makeover tips. When I gently asked her more, she opened up about being bullied and feeling ugly. Something about this conversation stayed with me. I had not previously considered that self-esteem may differ among individuals or the struggles that adolescents may quietly endure. I found myself genuinely curious about the weight of the world and the reasons behind it. This curiosity did not go away. I began to realise that what I was really drawn to was understanding the dynamics of people and the world that shapes them.

It took a pandemic to turn my yearning for further growth into action. During COVID, when everything slowed down and I had more time to sit with my thoughts, I decided I could not keep waiting for the right time. I then decided to enrol in the BCOU programme at SUSS.

3. Making the degree work without putting life on hold

One of the things I appreciated the most was flexibility. I could arrange my modules in the evenings, which meant I did not have to put my life completely on hold. Being able to choose my own modules each semester also meant that I could manage how much I was spending on school fees at any one time, which honestly took a real weight off my shoulders. What really stayed with me was not the scheduling or finances. It was how the learning landed.

4. Finding insight into the family systems we live in

I remember taking Family Counselling with Mr. Wilson Mack during a period when I was going through something difficult in my own family. I did not expect a module to tug at my heartstrings and hit so close to home. The module provided me with much insight into how family systems work, the roles we play, the emotions we carry, and the dynamics we cannot always see clearly when we are right in the middle of them. It also opened my eyes to how we are all part of larger systems, how feedback loops shape our behaviour, and the ripple effect through everyone connected to us. It helped me make sense of the experiences I was living through in real time, and that was when I truly understood that counselling was not just something I was studying. It was something that manifests in life’s simple moments.

It was there that I met my supervisor, Mdm Rai, who taught me about assessment work and showed me the ropes of what a counsellor does daily. Working with real people facing real challenges taught me that the individuals I meet are not merely clients. They are human beings navigating some of the hardest chapters of their lives. Growing up, I had never encountered issues such as addiction, incarceration, divorce, or family violence. These were things that felt distant to me, problems I knew existed somewhere but had never had to sit with them. Being placed in that setting opened my eyes to how real and common these struggles are and how easily the people living through them can be overlooked by society. To witness their growth, small victories, and resilience is a privilege I do not take lightly, and it is something I carry into my work every single day.

During my practicum, I also had the opportunity to be interviewed for counselling positions and network with various social service agencies and hospital institutions. I appreciate that BCOU organised career talks and industry sharing sessions, which gave me greater insight into the different counselling pathways and helped guide my decision-making as I explored various specialities in clinical, social, or family work. Through these experiences, I was able to better understand the kind of work and population I felt drawn to. I was deeply humbled when a local hospital institution with psychiatry services took a chance on me as a fresh graduate and offered me a role as a clinical counsellor.

6. Shaping the person I was becoming

Currently, I work with individuals and families who are navigating complex mental health challenges and vulnerabilities. Being entrusted with their stories, fears, and healing journeys is something I hold with deep responsibility and meaning. It continues to remind me that the work we do extends far beyond theory, it lives and breathes in the everyday realities of the people we serve.

It was also during my schooling years and practicum that I met my significant other, who was studying social work at that time. Through modules that taught counselling foundations, I found myself not only learning how to support clients professionally but also gaining deeper insight into myself, how I communicate, respond to stress, navigate conflict, and show up in relationships. Learning about concepts such as attachment styles and relational dynamics has given me a greater awareness of my own patterns and the role I play within the many relationships we take part in. In many ways, the programme shaped not only the counsellor I was becoming, but also the person I was learning to be as I navigated adulthood.

Graduating as Valedictorian was something I never anticipated when I first walked back into a classroom after years away. After four years of education at SUSS, what I carry with me is the community, the learning that felt real and alive, and the sense of purpose I found here.

If you are where I was–financially stretched, feeling lost, or wondering if it is too late to return to school–I want you to know that the time you have spent living your life is not wasted. It becomes part of how you learn. I hope the SUSS BCOU programme gives you what it gave me: rekindling my passion, finding my purpose and meaning, and a community that grows with you.