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For Temasek Polytechnic alumna Chen Qijia, her journey took an unexpected turn when she dropped out of school at 16 after struggling with attendance, anxiety around school and a difficult home environment. Although it felt like her world had shattered at the time, Qijia was determined to continue her education.

With support from her community, she took her GCE O-Level examinations as a private candidate that same year, scoring 16 points before furthering her studies at TP.

Qijia later pursued a degree in Chinese Language and Literature Studies at the Singapore University of Social Sciences while working to support her own education. When an opportunity to host a radio night show came along, she embraced it, putting her university studies on hold as she pursued a career in broadcasting. She joined YES 933 as a part-time DJ in 2019 and later became a full-time radio DJ.

Today, Qijia occasionally returns to schools to share her experiences with students, something she describes as a “full circle moment”. She also hopes to return to university in the future to study psychology or counselling.

Her journey is a reminder that setbacks do not have to define where we end up. Sometimes, moving forward simply means finding a different path and having the courage to follow it.

Read more about Qijia’s journey in this AsiaOne article: https://www.asiaone.com/ent.../dj-chen-qijia-drop-out-school