F ZINE People Cam: First Day Of School 2026 Edition
School is back in season, and we wanna know what’s really on students’ minds going into the new semester.
It was back to school for tertiary students last week, with the new semester having commenced on January 12 for most institutions. Along with it comes a new roster of classes, fresh ideas and that familiar mix of anticipation, pressure and cautious optimism about what lies ahead.
So we hit the schools to find out how students are really feeling right now, from their anxieties to their hopes, dreams, and everything in between.
Name: Puteri Iman Adani
Age: 19
Major & Year of Study: First year of Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts
“I chose this major because…”: “I’ve always loved art since I was a child, and I’ve always had experience painting and drawing. I also did art in high school, so I wanted to extend my knowledge and creativity from there.”
My academic goal for 2026 is: “To make art that makes me feel happy. I don’t have a set academic goal, but I want to feel happy whether it’s through sharing my art or creating something new. I just want to feel content and satisfied – nothing else matters to me if I don’t feel that.”
Biggest fear going into this new school year: “I always fear failing, or not being successful or good enough. It’s something I’ve struggled with for a long time because I don’t handle rejection well. I guess that’s why this is a bit like exposure therapy – I have to force myself to accept rejection to feel less anxious about everything.
If I’m being honest, I’m always worrying about the future, and most of the time I never know what I’m worrying about. I think the whole process of going through it all alone, and not knowing what’s next, is what scares me the most.”
“This school year, I’m looking forward to…”: “Creating new art, seeing new art, and learning. Everything is a win to me if the goal is experience.”
Name: Asabelle Cheong
Age: 21
Major & Year of Study: Second year of Diploma in Screen Media (now known as Media Experience and Innovation), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)
“I chose this major because…”: “I’ve always been interested in filming videos, so I decided to further my studies in this area and learn more about film.”
Biggest fear going into this new school year: “When I have to go for my internship this year!”
First thought coming back to school: “I’m not ready… I want to stay in the holiday mood for longer.”
Personal mantra for getting through this school year: “Don’t think too much, just act on it.”
Name: Marco Nicolas
Age: 20
Major & Year of Study: Second year of Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts
“I chose this major because…”: “Actually, it was my last choice – I wanted to pursue audio production – but now that I’m here, I enjoy it. It probably won’t be my first choice to pursue after school either, but it would be cool to be a teacher.”
How school has shaped his identity: “I find myself wanting to draw a lot more, which was something I used to really hate doing. But it’s kinda become something I actually enjoy doing now, especially when it comes to drawing comics or little characters to use in them.”
A struggle students in his major deal with that others don’t understand: “How hard it is to do both the artwork and the more business stuff, like putting up the galleries – basically, the logistics and what people find boring.”
Personal mantra for getting through this school year: “Just do it.”
Name: Angel Smith
Age: 21
Major & Year of Study: Third year of Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, Singapore Management University (SMU)
“I chose this major because…”: “I didn’t have a passion for anything else, but I found coding really interesting. So I decided to just go for it.”
How school has shaped her ambition: “Honestly, I’m a really relaxed, go-with-the-flow kinda person, but everyone around me is hustling so hard that I feel pressured to do the same.”
One stereotype about students in her major that’s inaccurate: “People think there’s hardly any girls in Information Systems – girls make up at least 50 per cent of my classes.”
A struggle students in her major deal with that others don’t understand: “Every time I do a project, my friends tell me to just ChatGPT it. Most of the time, it’s hard to do so, or ChatGPT gives the wrong answers.”
Personal mantra for getting through this school year: “Go with the flow and everything will work out.”
Name: Victoria Aguayo
Age: 21
Major & Year of Study: Third year of Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design, University of Monterrey, Mexico. Currently on exchange at LASALLE College of the Arts.
“I chose this major because…”: “For me, it was obvious. Fashion is something I’m really passionate about. I’ve loved fashion since I was a kid, and it’s way easier for me to create with my hands. In Mexico, it’s really hard to work in this industry, so studying this major helps me gain new experience and be around more creative people.”
A stereotype about students in her major that’s inaccurate: “That we’re superficial and only care about looks, or the way we’re presented to others. I mean, we all do – we all have to be presentable, but we see a way deeper meaning in fashion and its connection to people.”
Biggest fear going into this new school year: “I worry about my ability to fully develop myself or step out of my comfort zone. I want to try new things, and I need to leave what feels familiar to do that, which is challenging. I’m afraid of failing.”
Personal mantra for getting through this school year: “Try everything.”
Name: Ryan Haiqal Bin Mohamed Taha
Age: 23
Major & Year of Study: Second year of Diploma in Graphic Communication (now known as Design Communication and Strategy), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)
“I chose this major because…”: “It allows you to express yourself.”
Future career plans: “I’m not sure because we haven’t done any internships yet, so we haven’t experienced what it’s like in the industry. As of right now though, I don’t think I will pursue this in the future.”
A stereotype about his major that’s inaccurate: “People think our workload isn’t a lot compared to other courses, but it’s just as much as everyone else’s.”
Greatest strength of students in his major: “Everyone is highly confident in expressing their ideas through design. We use creativity and critical thinking to turn our concepts into work that’s meaningful and engaging.”
On day one, the first thought that came to mind was…: “I’m hungry and the trains are packed but I gotta squeeze in. Man...”
Name: Ashton Chee
Age: 23
Major & Year of Study: Third year of Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, SMU
“I chose this major because…”: “It offers stable job prospects and diverse career pathways, giving me the freedom to choose what I want to pursue in the future. I also enjoy math, but only realised later in my degree that the math used here is far more tedious than I thought.”
Future career plans: “Accounting is just a stepping stone in my future career. It’s quite stereotypical and I might get bashed for this, but I want to go into finance.”
Greatest strength of students in his major: “We’re very meticulous in our work. Given how accounting is systematic in nature, we need to memorise and apply accounting principles and frameworks in a structured manner.”
How his major has shaped his identity: “It’s certainly moulded me into a determined and thorough person. Whenever I set goals for myself, I always strive to achieve them no matter how challenging it gets. I also approach everything I do with conscientiousness, be it music, sports, or academics.”
Personal mantra for getting through this school year: “Work hard, play hard.”
Name: Lizzie Clark
Age: 22
Major & Year of Study: Third year of Bachelor’s Degree in Textiles, Manchester School of Art. Currently on exchange at LASALLE College of the Arts.
“I chose this major because…”: “I feel like fashion is a good representation of the cultural exchange between countries and people. It’s a tangible example of how people come together to create something through design.”
Greatest strength of students in her major: “The creativity! The fact that people can take inspiration from something completely unrelated to their design discipline and create an incredible collection inspired by it just blows my mind.”
How school has shaped her identity: “It’s made me more aware of what I wear and buy, as well as just how much is produced worldwide each year. The world is brimming with stuff, so I try to adopt a more mindful and conscious mindset when buying things – although this can be easier said than done.”
Academic goal for the new year: “I really want to improve my fashion pattern cutting and tailoring skills, as this is an aspect I didn’t study back at home. I’ll be heading into my final year when I return home after my exchange, so I want to push myself to try new things while living abroad. The first step has been choosing a tailoring elective as part of my course here at LASALLE!”
On day one, the first thought that came to mind was…: “I’m in Singapore, and I get to study my university degree here for a term! How lucky!”