Miss Universe Singapore 2016 - Hazel Tay

Hazel was born and raised in Brunei by her Singaporean father and Bruneian mother.

She moved to Singapore after completing high school and pursued a degree in Mathematical Sciences at Nanyang Technological University, followed by a Masters of Science in Financial Mathematics at the University of Chicago.

Even with all these academic achievements, Hazel confesses that she is not a mathematics whiz, and that to her, intelligence is the new sexy.

What is one cause you would champion if you become Miss Universe Singapore 2016?

I would support the I Am Talented (IAT) programme. IAT helps students discover their talents in non-academic pathways, which is meaningful to me because, academically, I was a late bloomer, and I took some time before becoming interested in my studies. IAT is a great social empowerment initiative for youths to not only discover their strengths, but also hone their talent and overcome challenges.

What is your greatest asset?

Perseverance. I have been told "no" many times, but rejection only makes me work harder and become a stronger person. I was bullied in school for my tan skin and awkward height, but now I think (they) are advantages.

What is one food you cannot resist?

I cannot resist cheese, even the strong ones like blue cheese. I've always loved a variety of cheeses since I was little, probably because the texture is so creamy and delicious.

What about you is Bruneian?

My most Bruneian aspect would probably be how much of a homebody I am. Brunei is a dry country without any clubs or alcohol, and so I spent a lot of time with my family, and also hosting or visiting my friends at each other's homes. That's still something I enjoy and do a lot of even now.

What is it about coding that attracts you?

There is something relaxing about isolating problems into little categories and solving them one at a time, and I experience that a lot when coding. The longest time I've coded non-stop was for six hours and that was to debug an error in my code.

Watch the video and more at facebook.com/thenewpaper

Miss Universe Singapore 2016 will be crowned on Oct 16 at Grand Copthorne Waterfront. To buy a pair of tickets to the 7pm dinner and finale with performances, visit https://eventreg.asiaone.com/register/mus2016finale.

CREDITS:

Creative director: Yeoh Wee Teck

Photographer: Jonathan Choo, using the Canon 1D-X

Writer: Constance Goh Page design: Ho Yan Hao, Kelvin Chan

Make-up: Cosmoprof Academy Hair: Monsoon Group

Stylist: ZH Tan

Cover: Bikini by Silvian Imberg (www.silvianimberg.com)

Centrespread: Dress can be rented from Covetella (www.covetella.com)

All pages: Jewellery by Paqarina Jewellery (www.paqarinajewellery.com)