\n<\/p>\n
Few school names in Singapore carry quite the same cultural shorthand as Anglo-Chinese School (ACS). Its alumni network is broad and influential, and the school has long been associated with confidence, ambition and a strong sense of fraternity.<\/p>\n
Christopher Chua, 46, remembers encountering that world from the margins. Coming from a less well-off family, he often felt he had to prove himself in an environment where others seemed more assured.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was born in a not well-to-do family, and I was thrust into ACS,\u201d said Chua, founder of boutique hospitality design studio KulorGroup. \u201cIt was a constant need to prove myself, because everybody else seemed to be two or three steps ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an environment where many students seemed to carry an easy confidence, Chua felt the opposite. \u201cAt the start, I was\u2026 keeping to myself and always feeling lesser.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the school\u2019s legacy is, for many, one of brotherhood and lifelong networks, Chua remembers moments that reinforced his sense of being on the outside looking in. \u201cOh yeah, I was bullied,\u201d he admitted plainly.<\/p>\n
Back then, Singapore was also less forgiving of those who strayed from the conventional path. \u201cThirty or 40 years ago, Singapore was a very different state. It was all about making money. Nobody wanted to be creative. The creative aspect of life was never explored. It was always looked down on. You would always be poor\u2026 it was not respectable.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a teenager who already felt he did not quite fit in, choosing such an unconventional path could have been paralysing. Instead, it became his turning point.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne day I decided, you know what, I\u2019m just going to rebel,\u201d he said. \u201cJust do whatever I want to do and figure out my trajectory in life.\u201d In a quiet but decisive act of defiance, he chose to pursue the arts.<\/p>\n
Even now, that early need to prove himself has not entirely faded. \u201cThe constant need to prove myself, or the feeling that I\u2019m not enough\u2026 that imposter syndrome\u2026 it just runs with you forever,\u201d he reflected.<\/p>\n
Asked what he would say to his younger self, Chua replied: \u201cTake a breath. Step back a bit\u2026 just do what you do and believe in yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n