Go forth and explore

Content creator: Kristin has taken to sharing her vegan recipes on social media during the pandemic.

FOR almost two years, Kristin Tan has been spending time away from academics to discover her passions.

Now 17, the former homeschooled student in her second gap year is gaining ground on social media with her vegan recipes and lifestyle content – amassing a following of 49,000 users on Instagram and 460,700 on TikTok.

Her decision to take a break from her studies after completing her International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations in 2019 stemmed from her uncertainty about what she wanted to pursue at the tertiary level.

“Since I was graduating early (at the age of 15) and there was no hurry in starting college, I wanted to take time to discover my passions and gain some experience,” she told StarEdu.

With her parents’ support, Kristin went ahead and made it a reality, first signing up for dance classes and also finding work as a part-time waitress in a restaurant.

When the movement control order was enforced in March last year to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, she took her keenness for exploration into the kitchen and began trying her hand at cooking and baking.

Having found an interest in her culinary pursuits, she took to social media to share her kitchen exploits, garnering attention from local and international netizens alike.

“Currently, I create hassle-free vegan recipes and curate lifestyle content, which I actively share on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube under the handle @eatwkriss.

“My recipes are predominantly Malaysian- and Asian-inspired, reminiscent of my childhood,” she said.

In creating her social media content, Kristin spends five to six hours a day, experimenting with recipes, shooting videos and editing them.

The self-taught videographer and video editor said throughout the pandemic, she has capitalised on the vast amount of information on the Internet.

“I definitely learned a lot from other creators, as well as YouTube tutorials, when I first picked up photography and videography,” she shared.

“You can self-learn materials online without having to go for physical lessons. If there is something you really want to learn or a skill you want to pick up, you can definitely do it on your own,” she added.

Reflecting on her gap year journey thus far, Kristin said it is interesting to see how it has turned out – for one, she was not a vegan when she started out; neither did she think she would venture into content creation as she had initially planned on taking her interest in dancing further and also learning languages. “All this wasn’t planned but that’s the purpose of a gap year – to explore! I never thought I would venture into photography and content creation but this has become my everyday life,” she said, adding that being confined at home during the several phases of the MCO played a part in her developing her newfound passions. On her tertiary plans, Kristin divulged that she may follow in her siblings’ footsteps in pursuing food science and biotechnology.

“I believe this major will equip me with knowledge that will help in my content creation,” she said before adding that she may keep her options open by first pursuing the A-Levels as early as January next year.

To students who are contemplating taking a gap year, Kristin emphasised the need to have a visual plan and be open to learning.

“You don’t exactly have to lay out a definite plan, but do have an idea and an intention to dedicate time to exploring new things.

“You should take a gap year for a reason. This is the time to discover what you want to pursue without having people direct you,” she advised.

Kristin also shared a life principle that her mother, a Mathematics teacher, has instilled in her – to be wholehearted in everything that she does.

“She also constantly reminds me to not be obsessed with getting the answer, but to understand the big picture and savour the process,” she added.

Yeu-Mynn, 21, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. Throughout the year-long programme, participants aged between 14 and 22 from all across the country experience life as journalists, contributing ideas, conducting interviews, and completing writing assignments. They get to earn bylines, attend workshops, and extend their social networks. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.

1. Some students choose to take a year-long break from their academic pursuits after leaving secondary school and before enrolling in a tertiary course.

This period, known as a gap year, is usually spent travelling, working and volunteering with the intention of giving them time to discover themselves and consider their tertiary paths.

Would you consider taking a gap year after completing your secondary school education? Why or why not?

In your Star-NiE scrapbook, draw up a list of pros and cons of taking a gap year.

Next, write down the activities you would explore or take part in, if you were to take a gap year. You may look in The Star newspaper for photographs of the activities to decorate the page.

2. Do this activity with a family member or friend. Imagine you were Yeu-Mynn, who wrote the article about Kristin’s gap year experience. Role-play a face-to-face interview with Kristin. You and your activity partner can take turns being the interviewer and the interviewee.

To prepare for the role-play:

a) List at least five questions you would ask Kristin.

b) Based on Yeu-Mynn’s article, come up with Kristin’s responses.

c) Practise carrying out the role-play.

Finally, do the role-play activity while recording yourself on video. Are both of you satisfied with how the interview went?

Since 1997, The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme – with the Education Ministry’s endorsement – has supported English language teaching in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Through Star-NiE’s teacher and student workshops, annual contests and monthly English language resources for classroom use, participants of the programme have reportedly shown marked interest in the language and progress in their proficiency. Now in its 24th year, Star-NiE is continuing its role of promoting the use of English language through a weekly activity page in StarEdu. These activities are suitable for use individually and in groups, at home and in the classroom, across varied proficiency levels. Parents and teachers are encouraged to work on the activities with their children and students. In addition, Star-NiE’s BRATs Young Journalist Programme will continue to be a platform for participants to hone and showcase their English language skills, as well as develop their journalistic interests and instincts. Applications are now open for the BRATs 2022 programme. Follow our updates at facebook.com/niebrats. For Star-NiE enquiries, email [e-mail].