Interview of Sadeen Jalal by Freya Bennett
Hi Sadeen, how are you? Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m good, thank you. I’m Sadeen Jalal, a digital media and communication student at Monash Malaysia, heading into my final year. I grew up shifting between being the “good girl” who follows all the rules and the kid who secretly stays up too late reading, and imagining different versions of myself. I’m also a nature girl at heart, I love being outdoors and around animals, especially horses, dogs, cats, and oddly enough snakes. Outside of all that, I’m pretty simple. I love music, late-night talks, and spending time with people who make life feel light.
When do you feel most like yourself?
I feel most like myself in those unglamorous moments sitting on my bed in an oversized t‑shirt, hair a mess, eating something random at 2 a.m. and talking about life with a friend. Or when I’m walking home alone with music too loud in my headphones, the kind of moments when I can just breathe and let my thoughts wander. I feel very “me” also when I’m laughing with my friends, the kind of laughter that makes you forget about everything else. Or when I’m drawing or singing (my voice isn’t great, but who cares), stopping the performance to just let the real stuff out. That mix of solitude and connection feels like home to me.
What are you currently learning, and what are you trying to unlearn?
Lately, I’m learning to slow down and trust timing to let things unfold without trying to control or rush them. I used to tie my worth to how productive I was, but I’m realizing that rest and stillness matter just as much. I’m learning to create from a place of curiosity rather than perfection, to enjoy the process instead of chasing an outcome. What I’m trying to unlearn is the constant pressure to have everything figured out, to always know where I’m headed or what comes next. Growth isn’t linear, and that’s something I’m slowly learning to accept. I want to be okay with uncertainty, and to believe that being enough, exactly as I am.
What’s a small act of rebellion that feels radical in your ordinary life?
Honestly? Sleeping in, turning off that 5 a.m. alarm and choosing rest over punishment. I used to let a skipped workout ruin my day; now, staying in bed when I’m exhausted feels like choosing me over the invisible audience in my head.
It’s also being average on purpose dancing or drawing just because it makes me happy, without perfecting it. Saying no without explaining, or crying instead of pretending. Those quiet choices keep me whole.
What do you love about being a woman?
I love how we hold space for each other’s messiness, the way we see each other’s scars and still call each other beautiful. There’s this quiet power in our tenderness, in how we rebuild after breaking, how we laugh through the pain and lift each other up anyway. I love that we can be soft and terrifying at the same time, nurturing and furious and that our friendships often feel like a secret language only we fully understand
What are you hoping to achieve during your internship at Ramona?
I want to learn how to tell stories that cut through the noise, ones that feel alive and human raw, no more hiding behind safe, polished essays. Grow confident in my voice both as a writer and as a person, by watching brave women who’ve made space for real voices. Being at Ramona feels like an opportunity to experiment, make mistakes and realise that my messy, honest perspective is actually the point, not a flaw to smooth out. And on a simpler level, I just want to contribute pieces that make someone out there feel a little less alone in their own chaos.
