As a generation that grew up with internet access, Singapore millennials are also the generation who, as kids, could be entertained by the wonders that the late 90s and early 2000s World Wide Web gave us.
From taking care of virtual pets, to battling it out with strangers online, to even finding our very first virtual ‘steads’, there was an important step we needed to undergo even before we could spend hours tweaking our avatars.
That’s right – we needed to create our email addresses!
With no precedence on what makes an email address ‘good’, many of our preteen selves simply resorted to coining terms we loved together, resulting in creations that we now look back in disgust/embarrassment/amusement – or all of the three.
For me, my first email address was melchan_90@yahoo.com – a seemingly wise choice for a 9-year-old who planned for a future of bringing it through her years of formal education and eventually, to her first job.
Except that my decision wasn’t made based on foresight.
I simply couldn’t conjure up anything else that sounded vaguely witty or meaningful on the spot – so my name, it was.
For many others that I spoke to, however, their first email addresses are a perfect summary of their likes and personality at a tender age.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
Daniel – danroxx11@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I was young and extremely impressionable by older kids.
I created my email when I was 10 or 11, and there was this 16-year-old girl at my tuition centre. We used to hang out in the centre before class started and one day she just wrote ‘Dan roxx’ on my notebook.
I was immediately blown away that there was a cooler way to spell ‘rocks’ and that an older girl thought I rocked.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
Surprisingly, I kept that email all the way through secondary school.
I probably only changed it when I was doing IB, so probably when I was 18 or 19.
The wake up call was when our university counsellor told us to never send a university application with an email address we would be ashamed of.
It literally didn’t occur to me until that moment just how cringey my email address was.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
Looking back, I shudder at the thought of having that email address because of how presumptuous it sounded, but I can understand why I chose it.
Given that I have quite a common name, I remember having a tough time using my first and last name when signing up for an email address, so I had to go with something unique.
For advice to my younger self, I think generally most people have multiple email accounts anyway, so don’t feel like you need to succumb to societal norms so early in life.
I actually wished I went with something crazier and less self-praising. Have fun with it and when you’re ready, set up a more serious email address when you’re older.
Andy – andy_is_handsome@comic.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I had my first email in Primary 3 when we had our first computer class.
Back then, there wasn’t a gigabyte-storage Gmail or Hotmail – I used Mail.com which allows you to customise your domain. I love comics thus the comic.com.
As for the front part of the address…I wish I can go back in time to slap my young self awake.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I changed it when I required to use email for school work; probably in the late-Secondary, or early-Poly days.
I changed it to what I have now for professional use, but I still keep several accounts active for different purposes.
Keeping constant in naming conventions and usage habits makes you easy to track on the Internet, which is not ideal.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
You’re not that handsome so don’t praise yourself.
Bei Ling – Hapi_Gurl@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
It’s actually my second email! My first email was beiling_11.
But when I reached, I think either upper Primary or Sec 1, I found it so uncool and I wanted something cooler, something that wasn’t just my plain, boring name.
I’ve always been a happy person, and because back then ‘twit language’ was a thing, Hapi_Gurl came about. Happy and Girl were too mainstream. lol.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
By upper Sec I realised how terrible it was but I’ve used the email for too many things so I created another email on gmail just for formal use.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to those looking to create new email address?
That I had terrible judgment as a kid!
My advice – just create an email that’s your name and don’t try to act cool.
Rai, pinkish_funk_2991@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
Can’t really remember why this email address in particular, but I created this account either in Primary 5 or 6.
I think one of the reason could be that I used to like the colour pink.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
Probably in Sec 3? I remember it was during the period when I undergoing puberty.
Everyone around me were exchanging email addresses and it had to be cool, especially if you want to add your crush on MSN…imagine if you drop an email address like that, bye sister #singleforever… no chance at all.
That’s when I decided to take control of my life and change it.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
I actually thought it was quite funny, since we were all young and would pretty much do anything because it’s nice/funny.
Though the email address only lasted for about 4 years, it was the key to many gaming accounts like the legendary Neopets and it’s also probably engraved on my friends’ autograph books.
Advice to my younger self – I’m taking this to the grave with a possibility that thousands out there NOW know of the poor choice you made. Sigh…
Raymond – scienceboy3@yahoo.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I was Primary 6, and Science was my favorite subject.
Back then, everyone was using what they love on their emails and usernames so I thought it was a cool thing.
Since I loved Science, I decided to put it on my email because I wanted to be cool too. HAHA!
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I think when I was in Sec 1, my classmates and I were exchanging emails and I gave that email.
We started talking about each others’ emails and they asked me, “You like Science meh!?”.
It was then that I realised that I didn’t like Science as much anymore because everything got tougher HAHA. So…it was kinda embarrassing for me because the username that I had was sooo not me.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
Looking back, it feels kinda cringey because my interests over the years have changed and Science is definitely one of them.
I don’t even know why I was so passionate about Science back then…just by remembering it reminds me of my super nerdy self.
But at this moment, if I was watching my 11-year-old self create the Scienceboy3 email address, I will just let him be…and laugh.
I was really young and my imagination was kinda wild and it’s part of the childhood fun that I had. I could be whoever or whatever I wanted to be.
Anmol – precious_anu93@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I made the email address around Primary 5.
I chose it because my name Anmol is a hindi word which means “precious” or “priceless”. Anu is my pet name which my family calls me by. And 93 because I’m a ’93 baby.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I actually used it throughout secondary school because we never had to send emails.
It was only after when I had to start sending job applications that I realised no one is gonna take me seriously with that email.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
It’s embarrassing AF, but I don’t regret it because I like that it shows how I grew from a kid/teen and stepped into adulthood with a proper email.
To my younger self, I would say – just use whatever username makes you happy at that moment, you can always change to a new one when you’re older.
Janielson – xiaorain44@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I created it in Secondary school. A bunch of us were creating email account for some games, and we thought it would be cool to sound like girl just for fun haha!
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I didn’t use my old email account for a long while until I was in Poly, when I needed it for internships.
So I decided that I needed to change it to something proper.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
You might think something is good idea now, but ask yourself again if you see yourself doing/using it in a few years time.
If not, no.
Kesin – kesin_smile4ever@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I made it in Primary school, because I thought that it was cool to have an email haha!
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I think I was in Secondary school or Poly…I felt a bit paiseh to share my email whenever people asked for it.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
My email is so childish!
My advice is…when creating email, stick close to your name and don’t add any weird stuff HAHA.
Delwin – devildelwin@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
Secondary school, I was trying for something garang. And since devil seems more fierce than angel…
Well, a better way to look at it is that I support the red devils (Manchester United), so that’s what I’ve been telling everyone ever since.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
Going into Poly and requiring it for group work, I knew I had to change it.
I’m actually still using it as personal email, so I always refer to point 1 when people actually ask hehe.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
Try to think in the long run, and expect yourself in explaining if you decide on using words like ‘devil’
Melissa – vine_vixen@msn.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I was 13 and, as all adolescents go, was an edgelord with an unhealthy fixation on alliteration.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
Before I hit the submit button on msn.com. I guess even then I could not justify using such an address to myself.
I also vaguely remember my friend next to me going “EWWW” as I typed it in, but maybe that’s a false memory that resulted from twenty plus year old me cringing at my thirteen year old self.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
If you’re too embarrassed to add your crush on MSN using that nickname, it’s a bad choice.
Wyntrice – Staydrunkalways@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
Around the time I was 10, MSN chat was the in thing and if you weren’t on it, where were you really. And for that you needed a Hotmail account.
So I remember I was in my brothers’ room using a giant of an Acer desktop and looking around for inspiration. Then I saw a sign, literally, on the wall saying “Avoid hangovers, stay drunk always”.
At 10 I didn’t even know what the word ‘hangovers’ meant but stay drunk always just sounded SO COOL.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I’m ashamed to say that only when I was about to apply for Uni did it occur to me that it wasn’t very advantageous to leave a first impression as an inebriated candidate.
Which means I was actually comfortable with having that email for 8 years.
In retrospect I should’ve realised my new email could not really increase my chances in getting into Uni with the A level scores I got.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
It is every adolescent’s rite of passage to do embarrassing things that make his or her future self cringe.
As we grow older, we like to look back and think fondly of the good times gone by and can get quite depressed at our current situation.
But having these embarrassing reminders of our youth also makes us appreciate who we are now.
My advice to my young self? Try as you might to sound cool, turns out you really hate getting drunk and you’re a bloody lightweight.
Johnathan – johnathanchua@hotmail.com
1. Why and when did you choose that username?
I was in Primary 3. My school brought us to the computer lab and taught us how to create an email with hotmail.
My incredibly creative peers were shitting out great emails like spider_carnage@hotmail.com, but I don’t really play computer games and my favourite show at that time was The Powerpuff Girls.
I knew I couldn’t run with that.
The teacher said “If you can’t think of anything, you can use your name.”
Defeated and jealous, I used my name. I was laughed at for the lack of creativity.
BUT LOOK WHO’S LAUGHING NOW.
2. When did you decide that it was cringey and changed it to something else?
I didn’t have to, I still use it now. I simply created another account on gmail.
3. What do you feel about it on hindsight, and what’s your advice to your young, first email self?
19 years later, Vulcan Post will ask you about this.
And you won’t be the idiot then.
The Most Important Thing To Do As A Kid Is To Have Fun
As seen in almost all of the responses, while many found their choice of keywords questionable, it gave their adult selves something to laugh at.
Kids will be always kids, and what are memories for if they aren’t a bit embarrassing?
What’s your first email address, and what do you feel about it now? Let us know!