Everyday Girl Club: Navigating life as Third Culture Kid

At just 22 years old, our alumnus Janika van Soestbergen (2022 cohort) is already changing the way young women in Singapore think about friendship and community. Through her social initiative, The Everyday Girl Club, Janika has built a safe space where women in their 20s and 30s can meet, connect, and feel less alone. Making friends as an adult isn’t always easy, and she wanted to create something that made it feel natural again. Her idea came from personal experience. After moving from an international school to Nanyang Technological University, as a Singaporean-Dutch student, she struggled to fit in. She described it as being stuck in a “grey area,” feeling “too international for the locals and too local for the exchange students.” Instead of letting that isolation define her, she turned it into something positive. 

What started as a simple social media post quickly grew into a movement. Within days, women reached out saying they felt the same way. Soon, Janika was hosting events that focused on genuine interaction rather than just networking for the sake of it. Today, The Everyday Girl Club runs journalling sessions, Pilates classes, coffee meetups, picnics, and even reflection dinners. When asked about how the club began, Janika said: “Everyday Girl Club was thought of and created by me alone. I had my family who supported me along the way, giving me advice, but the idea, planning, and building of the club was done alone!” 

Of course, starting something new wasn’t without its challenges. “At first, I was worried about how time-consuming starting a social club would be. I’m currently in the final month of my 6-month internship at the Molecular Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at Singapore General Hospital, so I haven’t had to juggle full-time studies with the club just yet. But honestly, it was the perfect time to start because I had all the time to fully organise my thoughts.” Her inspiration came from both friends and travel.

“A close friend once suggested finding an international club at NTU because I initially struggled making close friends, but there wasn’t such a thing. I also visit my sister in Amsterdam twice a year, and social clubs are common there. I’ve attended some of their active and wellness events and really loved it. So it inspired me to create the same welcoming space for girls in Singapore.” 

The Everyday Girl Club has also given Janika friendships she didn’t expect. “Yes! I have actually made really close friends from the club. Some of the girls I met at the events have become girls I meet on a regular basis outside of the club.” She admits she didn’t expect it to grow so fast. “It honestly became something much bigger than I ever imagined in such a short amount of time—the club was launched only in February! But I’m really grateful because it showed me there are so many girls looking for meaningful connection and community too.” 

For anyone nervous about joining and putting themselves out there, her advice is simple:

“My only advice would be to come as yourself. There is no pressure to act a certain way or become a different version of yourself to ‘fit in’. The best and most genuine connections happen when people feel their most comfortable, even if they’re a little shy at first. And remember, other girls are on the same page—showing up hoping to leave with a friend.” 

This article was written by Tanisha K (Student at Tanglin Trust School)