SINGAPORE – Freelance writer Sng Ler Jun has been taking on more writing assignments since March to earn extra money for his family and himself.
His 55-year-old mother was retrenched from a part-time job as a food promoter in February and his father, a 59-year-old taxi driver, has seen earnings fall since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, the 24-year-old, who is doing a communications degree from the University at Buffalo at the Singapore Institute of Management, said he feels “pressured to work harder”.
The worry of finding a stable job after he graduates in December keeps him up at night. “I’m doing unpaid writing work to beef up my resume so it’ll help in my job hunt,” said Mr Sng, who is an only child.
Still, he feels “plagued by the uncertainty” as he does not know when the economy will improve. “It’s demoralising thinking about it and I feel burned out.”
Because of this, his mood and energy has been low and he no longer enjoys the walks he used to take in the neighbourhood.
