Singaporean says they feel ‘completely disconnected’ and Singapore no longer feels like home

SINGAPORE: A local Reddit user wrote that “Singapore doesn’t feel like home anymore” and asked if anyone else feels similarly “disconnected” from the city-state.

In a post on r/askSingapore on Thursday (Aug 21), u/CummyWhey wondered if they were the only one who feels this way and they’re just seeing things in a negative light.

They used to feel a sense of belonging, but this seems to have disappeared due to several reasons:

“Everywhere is so crowded, the weather feels unbearable, and I can’t shake the resentment that so many people here aren’t even Singaporeans. A lot are just using Singapore as a stepping stone to make money, and it feels like we’ve lost something in the process.

“The trains are packed, the cost of living has gone up, and honestly, it feels like locals are the ones paying the price. Jobs don’t pay well, the grind is endless, and even the fun/art scenes are slowly dying because they’re unsustainable here (The Projector),” the post author wrote.

They even took issue with the National Day Rally earlier this month, saying that instead of making them feel better, the opposite happened, to the point that they’ve lost hope.

Based on the number of Reddit users who responded to the post, as well as their responses, it was obvious that the post author was not alone. One commenter who shared the post author’s sentiments said that they moved to the United States and found that with more space and better weather, they felt better.

“I ended up moving around several states in the US and ended up in Northern California. The weather here is nothing short of phenomenal (when I complain, a visit back to SG resets my expectations). To others who have replied, it’s just a little hard to find solitude in Singapore. You can ignore the crowd, but there’s something about being truly in your own corner,“ they wrote.

Another suggested that going overseas is good for every Singaporean: “I always encourage Singaporeans to leave SG to see what it may be like elsewhere in the world. From my experience, life anywhere else might just have the same set of problems, but obviously has its pros too, but don’t let anyone tell you what they might be.

“Experiencing it for yourself would help you find what you truly cherish in this short life. If and when you do return back to SG, you might (not guaranteed) you might see her through a fresh set of eyes!”

A Reddit user had this piece of advice to give: “If you no longer feel that Singapore is for you, since you’re young, maximise your opportunities. Go for student exchanges, take a year off, and see what life is like overseas. It’s not something everyone will get the chance to do.” /TISG

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