1) Your educational journey and how you decided on your desired course(s)?

I applied to NUS Information Security at the time mostly out of curiosity to what it was like, I honestly did not know much about the major other than reading about it in the brochure of the NUS Open House (my friends overslept so I went to the computing talk alone). I didn’t really feel cut out for CS at the time, as I had only AABB for my A levels, whereas everyone applying to CS had straight As, so I thought I stood a better chance of getting into Information Security. Perhaps there was an element of interest as well, sparked by playing video games like the Watch Dogs franchise which had a “hacking” element to it, but I certainly found it a lot more interesting once I started actually studying it.

As for my actual experience learning it, it hasn’t been easy, as NUS demands a very high level of rigour in the foundational computing classes, which we share with CS and Computer Engineering (CEG) students, who are mostly the cream of the crop in coding and algorithmic thinking. To say it has been a struggle would be understating it for sure, but looking back at what I’ve learned (and mostly forgotten) over the past 3 years of university, I realized just how much I learnt. The change of pace from JC’s 4x10 week terms into 2x13 week semesters is quite jarring, even more so after 2 years of stagnating in NS, and I would say that I still struggle with the pace of learning even today as a third-year student. Burnout is normal, and I almost never slept before 2am in my first year. That being said, in my third year I am taking a lot more security-focused classes, and it has been much more relaxed and enjoyable actually learning instead of fighting the bell curve. Everyone struggles, some people just don’t show it, but everyone goes through the same slog of the first two years of foundational courses, and its only after that where we really get to hone in on our focus areas and start learning more relevant things to our career.

2) Your working experiences and how you decided on your desired career(s)?

My first summer internship was at the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) under the National Cyber Threat Analysis Centre (NCTAC), conducting research into cyber conflict in the Russia-Ukraine war. I would say I’m still a bit unsure as to what trajectory my career will take, but my time at CSA and NCTAC sparked an interest in threat intelligence and policy, as it allows me to read up and write detailed analyses, something which I enjoy greatly and excel at. The working environment was great, and I enjoyed the flexibility of working from home offered to me even as an intern, and at the same time CSA offered the interns the opportunity to undergo training for the Cisco Cyberops Associate course, which made me realize that continued education and upskilling was something I valued in the workplace and it is now something I actively seek out in my internship and job hunt. This coming summer I will be interning at IBM, which is very exciting to me as it is an opportunity to work at a massive firm, expand my network, and presents incredibly exciting new learning opportunities and potential for improving myself.

3) What extracurricular activities have you done to explore your interests?

In JC, I was the epee vice-captain of Hwa Chong Fencing, and fencing is something that I have carried with me even into university. Fencing has given me the opportunity to unwind and stay fit and healthy, as well as form strong and lasting bonds with my teammates. Always making time for fencing is a challenge in time management, but I feel much happier and healthier for it. I think a lot of people underestimate the importance of having a CCA, or even a sport to regularly enjoy. The mental health benefits and physical health benefits are amazing, and your body will thank you in the long run for keeping fit and healthy during such stressful times of studying. Coming into NUS Fencing, I became the publicity head, allowing me to explore my creative side as a photographer and learning filmography and editing. It was also a nice way to diversify my resume and show off other skills besides computing stuff and the usual leadership fluff. All in all, while some people may choose to join CTFs regularly and practice their cybersecurity skills, I choose to spend my free time doing something unrelated to my studies or career, as it allows me to fully unwind and take my mind off things, and it has shown me the importance of having a strong support network of good friends with whom I can share good belly laughs and inside jokes.

4) Any words of advice for your juniors?

Comparison is the thief of all joy. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is the you from 3-6 weeks ago, that way you can see your own growth. There will always be someone better, someone who worked harder, someone who got a better internship than you. And there will always be someone struggling more than you, someone who couldn’t find an internship, someone whose grades are worse than yours. Comparing upwards will depress you, and punching down is pointless. Focus on your own growth and improvement, and you will be so much happier for it.

That said, it is important to take care of your mental health. Getting injured in NS taught me the importance of taking care of myself at the expense of everything else, and university taught me the importance of mental resilience and taking breaks to prevent burnout. Do things that make you happy, indulge in the little things in life that bring a smile to your face, and treasure the time spent with your friends and family.