Abby Ooi completed her master's in counseling while flying for Singapore Airlines.Abby OoiAbby Ooi worked full-time as a flight attendant while pursuing a bachelor's degree and a master's in counseling.Ooi, 28, had to sacrifice sightseeing and sleep to catch up with her assignments.Her days off were spent fulfilling her internship hours.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Abby Ooi, a therapist, graduate student, and former Singapore Airlines flight attendant. The following has been edited for length and clarity.At 18, I moved from Malaysia to Singapore with $230 and a career plan.I wanted to become a flight attendant — something I had fantasized about since I was young. My mom raised my two older brothers and me alone. Growing up, we couldn't afford to travel, so I thought I would do it on my own one day.After working in retail for three years — and in the middle of pursuing my bachelor's degree in liberal arts — I landed a job with Singapore Airlines as a flight attendant at 22.I was young, excited, and grateful that I had gotten the job. I thought that I had everything I wanted.But a few months into my second year of working for Singapore Airlines, I started experiencing a lot of stress. I had to show up every day looking perfect and being nice to everyone, then return to an empty apartment and study for my bachelor's degree. I couldn't afford to take days off because I needed the salary.I also found the industry expectations conflicting. There were strict rules to follow, and I couldn't challenge myself to think critically. Flying also took a toll on my body.I decided to start seeing a therapist, and it helped. A few months in, she asked if I had ever considered a career in therapy. She told me that I picked up on things quickly and had high awareness.By then, I had gained my bachelor's degree and had been working for a few years. I realized I had the capacity and resources to pursue what had become my second dream: becoming a therapist. My therapist's words encouraged me to pursue this new career.In my third year as a flight attendant, I completed a six-month graduate certificate course in counseling and made the decision to pursue a part-time master's degree in counseling.Balancing work and studies came with sacrificesOoi had to sacrifice sightseeing and sleep to study.Abby OoiI spent around 60,000 Singapore dollars, or $45,500, on my master's degree and graduate certificate from Monash University. Spending so much money while avoiding loans made me feel committed to seeing it through.My degree was part-time, with around 12 hours of class each week. As a flight attendant, I had an average of 120 hours of flying a month. Our schedules were irregular and unpredictable. However, as classes were online, I found time to fit them into my schedule.I won't glamorize the life of working and studying. There were sacrifices I had to make.This was an example of my daily schedule: I would touch down early in the morning in a new city and commute to the hotel. Feeling tired, I would set myself up at a desk and focus on schoolwork. After spending hours on that day's assignment, the next thing I knew, it was time for bed. I would set an alarm for 5 a.m. to finish up. Then, it would be time to leave for the next flight.I remember how badly I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty in New York City or visit Disneyland in California. However, because I had assignments due, I didn't let myself get sidetracked by the temptation of going out with colleagues to see new things.Sometimes, when I didn't have an assignment due, I had the time to go out. But I knew that by going out with my colleagues, people would want to check out restaurants and then split bills accordingly. I knew I couldn't afford that, so I went to libraries and museums and spent time alone. Because of this, my colleagues often assumed that I was antisocial.At the time, I also avoided social media because I found it to be too big of a distraction. It often felt lonely, but I was always looking at the bigger picture. I thought, I don't need social media right now, and I don't need to go out with people because what's bigger right now is my dream.My days off were spent on internshipsAs part of my degree requirement, I had to complete 250 hours of professional experience through clinical placements. So, my days off were spent completing my three internships at clinics.I completed my master's degree in counseling from Monash University last year. After 6 years at Singapore Airlines, I left in February and moved to Sydney a week later.Eager to continue studying, I had applied to the University of Sydney and was granted a scholarship. I'm now pursuing a second master's degree in social work.Ooi is now pursuing a second graduate degree in social work at the University of Sydney.Abby OoiLooking back at my time as a flight attendant, I saw different aspects of humanity by traveling to different parts of the world. I saw drug addicts on the streets in San Francisco and starving kids in Mumbai's slums.It made me think, how can I help people? It helped confirm that I was planning for the right career switch.These days, I post about my journey on social media and get messages from people asking how I studied while working.This is what I tell them: The future is for yourself. Take advantage of the resources you have, and even if you don't have a lot, you can multiply them with time and effort.It definitely hasn't been easy, but it was worth it.A representative for Singapore Airlines did not respond to a request for comment from BI.
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