We all have those little things that make us who we are.
The foods we refuse to eat. The habits we’ve had for years without really thinking about them. The things we notice that other people completely miss. The strange preferences that make perfect sense to us, even when everyone else looks at us like, “Why are you like this?
I think these little details are what make a person interesting. You can know a person for years and still discover something about them that surprises you.
There are quite a few things about me that even people who have known me for a long time might not know. Some are completely random. Some are about my personality, food preferences, or everyday habits. Others are connected to different chapters of my life that I rarely talk about.
So, I thought it would be fun to share 30 random, quirky, and slightly unexpected facts about me. Think of this as a little peek into the person behind the blog.
Let’s see how many you already knew.
1) I had a different name when I was born
When I was born, my parents gave me the name Nurul Syazana.
They later decided to change it, with my grandfather helping them choose my new name. That became the name I’ve gone by ever since.
There was a little confusion with my birth certificate during my primary school years, though, and my old name ended up being used again for certain things. At one point, I even had a bank account under my old name.
So technically, I’ve had two names following me around at different points in my life.
If you look closely at my signature, you might notice something interesting too. I’ve combined both names into it.
I suppose that’s my little way of keeping both versions of my name with me.
2) I don’t drink milk
I’ve never liked the taste of regular milk.
Flavoured milk is a completely different story. I can drink strawberry, banana, chocolate, or pretty much any flavoured milk, as long as the flavour is stronger than the taste of the milk itself. If it starts tasting too much like plain milk, I’m probably not finishing it.
I also only learned to eat yoghurt after I got braces in 2020, after my doctor suggested it because of a complication with my gums. Even then, I had to force myself to eat it and slowly adapt to the taste. Eventually, I learned to choose flavoured yoghurt, which made it much easier for me to eat.
3) I don’t like strong-tasting food
I’m very particular about strong flavours.
I like shrimp, for example, but I’m not a big fan of lobster because I find the taste much stronger. I can eat meat, but I generally prefer it when the taste isn’t too strong or “meaty.” I’ll eat fish too, as long as it doesn’t have that strong fishy taste.
I also avoid raw food, so yes, I don’t eat sashimi or sushi.
Cheese is acceptable when it’s melted into a burger or fried chicken or used in something like cheesecake. Eating a strong cheese on its own? No, thank you.
Am I fussy? Yes, maybe a little. I can be quite particular about certain flavours, but I’m still adventurous when it comes to food. I’m usually willing to try something at least once, and the taste will decide whether I like it or not.
4) My asthma came back in my late 30s
According to my mum, I had asthma as a child, but after regular treatment, it eventually went away. I grew up without having any breathing problems and was actually quite active, playing sports at school and running as an adult.
One thing I did notice growing up was that whenever I got a cough, it always seemed to take a long time to go away.
Then, in 2025, I developed a cough that just wouldn’t go away and eventually became much worse. At night, I would experience wheezing in my chest and struggle to breathe. It got to the point where I knew something wasn’t right.
After a check-up and a nebuliser treatment, my doctor told me that I had asthma. That was when I realised my childhood asthma had come back.
5) My favourite smell is vanilla
I’ve always loved the smell of vanilla. I like pretty much anything with that scent.
As someone who doesn’t really like wearing perfume, I usually prefer having a light scent from my body lotion instead. I normally mix vanilla essential oil into my body lotion because I like having a subtle vanilla scent on my skin throughout the day. It gives me a nice scent without being too strong or overwhelming.
If people around me ever said I smelled good, it was probably because of my body lotion. Never perfume.
So if I’m choosing between two products and one of them smells like vanilla, I’m probably going for that one.
6) I Can’t Stand Brigh Light
Call me a vampire if you want, but I genuinely enjoy being in the dark.
My old housemate used to get annoyed with me because I rarely turned on all the lights at home. I prefer my surroundings to feel calm and slightly dim rather than bright and overly lit. Bright lights actually annoy me.
Sunproof curtains are essential for me. During the day, I’m happy to let some natural light in, but at night, a small lamp with a warm orange light is usually enough.
I know some people feel uncomfortable in dark spaces, but I’m the complete opposite. I can even sit in a dark room and watch horror movies without needing to turn the lights on.
7) My favourite weather is moody & rainy
I know plenty of people love sunny weather, but I’m much happier when the sky is grey and the weather is gloomy.
I actually feel calmer when the sky is covered with clouds, especially when there’s a thunderstorm or steady rain. I love that kind of weather so much that sometimes I wish I could just disappear into a little cabin in the woods, sit by the fireplace with a warm drink, and listen to the rain outside.
Maybe it’s because rainy weather makes everything feel a little slower. It makes me want to stay home, read a book, write, or simply sit quietly and enjoy the sound of the rain. Give me a gloomy, rainy day and I’m perfectly happy staying indoors.
8) My nose is very sensitive to smell
I have a surprisingly sensitive nose. I can pick up smells that other people don’t seem to notice, especially strong or unpleasant ones.
Sometimes I’ll walk into a room and notice a smell almost immediately, before anyone else seems to realise it’s there. Food, perfume, smoke, cleaning products, damp clothes… I notice all sorts of smells very quickly.
The problem is that once I notice a smell, I can’t unnotice it. If something smells bad to me, it can completely change how I feel about a place or even ruin my experience, while everyone else around me seems perfectly fine.
I think this is probably one reason I’m quite particular about certain foods too. Smell plays a much bigger part in what I enjoy eating than people might realise.
9) I’m a light sleeper
The smallest things can wake me up, and it’s not just noise either. If something moves close to me while I’m asleep, or someone puts a hand in front of my face, I can suddenly wake up. I don’t really know how to explain it, but sometimes I get this strange tingling or alert feeling around my forehead, almost like my body notices something before I’m properly awake.
Even a tiny sound, like dripping water, can make me suddenly wide awake and irritated. A person snoring next to me, though, can completely ruin my sleep, and I hate knowing that someone is going to make noise beside me while I’m trying to sleep.
If I ever have a partner who snores, we are probably getting separate bedrooms. I need my sleep.
10) I do things fast
I move like I’m permanently on 2x speed.
I walk fast, eat fast, work fast, and generally do almost everything at a quick pace. I’ve always had this constant sense of urgency, so when someone is moving very slowly, I can get impatient. Slowing down just doesn’t feel natural to me.
If you give me a task, chances are I’ll get it done quickly. Once something is in my head and I know it needs to be done, I just want to get it out of the way. I don’t like leaving things unfinished or having tasks hanging around in the back of my mind.
I think that’s probably why some people struggle to keep up with me. I’m not necessarily in a hurry. I just naturally move through life quite fast.
11) I am very punctual
I take punctuality quite seriously, and I can get a little frustrated when other people don’t have the same mindset. As a Malaysian, I know how common it is for people to say they’re “OTW” when they’re actually still getting ready or haven’t even left the house yet. That really annoys me.
For me, if someone says we’re meeting at 8 p.m., I understand that as 8 p.m. Not 8:30, not 9, and definitely not “I’m on my way.”
I usually arrive at least 20 minutes early because I see being on time as a basic way of respecting someone else’s time. I’d rather wait for someone than keep them waiting for me.
I know everyone has a different idea of what counts as being on time, but I’m definitely quite strict about it. If we agree on a time, I’ll be there.
12) I am very firm and strict
I might joke around a lot, but when it comes to my principles, I don’t easily bend.
When I say “no,” I mean “no.” Once I’ve made up my mind that I don’t agree with something, it’s very difficult to change it. I can make decisions that hurt me, and I can still walk away knowing that it’s the right thing for me to do.
I’m also someone who sticks to my word. If I make a promise, I keep it. If I say I’m going to do something, I follow through.
I know I can be quite firm, and sometimes that probably makes me difficult to deal with. At the same time, I think it comes from knowing what I believe in and being unwilling to go against myself just to make someone else happy.
13) I have a keen eye for details, and I’m highly observant
I tend to notice small changes in people, objects and situations quite easily. If something feels different or out of place, chances are I’ll pick up on it. I might not know exactly what is wrong at first, but I usually get a feeling that something isn’t quite right.
The interesting part is that I don’t always stop at that feeling. I’ll usually look for something that proves what I’m noticing. My gut feeling often gives me the reason to pay closer attention, and most of the time, I end up being right.
That has probably made it quite difficult for people to lie to me, hide something from me or cheat on me without me eventually noticing. I may not say anything straight away, though.
Sometimes I’ll just sit there and play dumb while already knowing more than the other person realises.
I don’t necessarily need to react immediately. I’d rather observe, put the pieces together and make sure I’m not imagining things before I say anything.
14) I crafty
I’ve always enjoyed making things with my hands. I used to make origami, paper flowers, butterflies, drawings, paintings and all sorts of little handmade projects.
Writing poems has always been another creative outlet for me. I was quite good at drawing too, although just like any other skill, you get rusty when you stop practising. I don’t spend as much time on these things as I used to, but I still have a soft spot for anything handmade.
At one point, I even had a small business related to crafting. I loved coming up with an idea, figuring out how to make it, and then seeing that idea turn into something real in front of me.
I think that’s what I’ve always enjoyed about being creative. It’s not just about making something pretty. I like the whole process of starting with an idea and slowly turning it into something I can actually see and hold.
15) I write a lot
Writing has always been one of the ways I process what I’m feeling. When something is bothering me, making me sad, or simply taking up too much space in my head, I tend to write.
Sometimes it’s a proper blog post. Sometimes it’s a poem. Sometimes it’s just a bunch of thoughts that I never intend for anyone else to read.
I’ve been writing for years, and I think putting my feelings into words helps me understand them better. It’s almost like having a conversation with myself, except everything ends up on a page.
I can also look back at things I wrote years ago and see how much I’ve changed. I can see the things I used to believe, the way I used to look at certain situations, and how my thinking has changed as I’ve grown. In some ways, writing has become a record of my own growth.
I don’t always need someone to give me advice. Sometimes I just need to write it all out.
16) I was a good debater
High school me could argue a point pretty well, no matter what topic I was given.
I competed in district-level debate competitions and won the Best Debater title multiple times. People used to think I would eventually become a lawyer or politician because I enjoyed debating so much.
For me, it was never really about arguing for the sake of arguing. I liked being given a topic, figuring out what I wanted to say, building an argument and then defending my position in front of everyone.
My team eventually lost in the semi-finals, but I still walked away with the Best Debater title. That was definitely one of the moments I was most proud of from my school years.
17) I was in a reality show
I was once a contestant on a reality show and made it to the top 3 out of 15 contestants.
I was only 18 at the time, and it was my first real exposure to the world of beauty, fashion and being in the public eye. I was quite naive and honestly didn’t know much about the industry. I wasn’t going into the competition thinking I was going to win or imagining what life would be like if I did. I was simply young, curious and experiencing something completely new.
It turned out to be quite an experience. I got to do photo shoots, appear on live television, go on talk shows and even see myself on billboards. For someone who had never experienced anything like that before, it felt surreal.
I also got a little taste of what it was like to have people recognise me. People would stop me and ask to take photos together, and I even remember looking through online forums to see what people were saying about me.
Luckily, this was before social media became part of everyday life. Looking back, I’m actually quite grateful for that. At 18, I don’t think I would have known how to handle having strangers constantly commenting on me, especially the criticism that would inevitably come with being in the public eye.
Not many people in my life today know about this part of my past. It almost feels like a little secret from another chapter of my life.
18) My right pinky finger is a bit crooked
My right pinky finger is slightly crooked because I must have injured it at some point. The bone sits a little off to the right, although it doesn’t cause me any pain or discomfort.
I can also make it pop, which I occasionally use to scare my friends. I’ll pretend I’ve somehow broken my finger right in front of them, then casually make it pop.
It’s a completely harmless little trick, but their reactions are usually much more dramatic than the actual situation.
19) I’m afraid of lizards and holes
I have a few pretty intense phobias, and lizards are right at the top of the list. I can’t even be near a dead one, let alone share a room with it. If I see one crawling on the wall, I won’t even go near that area until I know it’s gone.
Holes are another one. They give me goosebumps almost immediately, and sometimes the reaction can be quite strong. I can’t bring myself to get close to them, and even seeing certain patterns or images of holes can make me feel uncomfortable, dizzy and genuinely uneasy.
20) I’m not a fan of maths
The funny thing about working in finance and accounting is that I’ve never actually been a fan of maths.
I can handle small calculations, but once the numbers start getting complicated, I reach for a calculator without thinking twice. I was never particularly good at maths in school either. I can’t really do calculations in my head, so I almost always need a calculator.
Some people can look at a bunch of numbers and work everything out mentally. I’m definitely not one of those people.
So yes, I somehow ended up working with numbers despite never liking maths in the first place.
Thank goodness calculators exist.
21) I’m a good cook; at least I think so
I’d say I’m a pretty good cook. Malay cuisine is my speciality, and I can be quite critical when eating out if something doesn’t taste quite right.
Just like my nose is sensitive to smell, my taste buds are quite sensitive too. I’m pretty fussy about food, so I can usually tell when something tastes good and when something is missing. Because of that, when I cook, I’m quite particular about getting the taste right. If the food doesn’t turn out the way I want it to, I’ll probably be disappointed with myself.
Maybe I got that from my dad. He’s an amazing cook and just as picky about food as I am. My family also runs a small catering business, so cooking has always been a part of our lives.
I take quite a bit of pride in my cooking. I especially love seeing my friends and family enjoy something I’ve made.
22) I normally don’t wear the same outfits
I rarely repeat the exact same outfit. Once I’ve taken photos in an outfit, I usually won’t wear that exact combination again.
That’s one reason I don’t mind buying clothes that aren’t too expensive. I know I’ll probably only wear certain pieces once or twice, especially dresses. As long as the quality is good and the dress looks good on me, I don’t really care if it’s from a well-known brand or not.
I do make exceptions for things I know I’ll wear again and again, like jackets, jeans, basic tops and outerwear. Those are easy to style in different ways, so I’m happy to repeat them with different outfits.
I also tend to give my clothes away once I feel like I’ve worn them enough, especially to someone who is around my size. I enjoy having different outfits to choose from, so rather than letting clothes sit in my wardrobe untouched, I’d rather pass them on to someone who can enjoy them.
23) I’ve spent most of my life having short hair
For most of my life, I had short hair. I went through different boy-cut hairstyles and other short styles, and I used to change my hair colour quite often too. I was pretty adventurous with my hair when I was younger.
At one point, I even came close to going bald because I had bleached my hair so much. Looking back, I’m actually glad I had those experiences when I was younger. I enjoyed experimenting with my look and wasn’t afraid to try something different.
My face suited short hair quite well, and I took a lot of pride in being able to pull it off. Not every woman feels comfortable with very short hair, so I liked that it worked for me.
Once I got into my 30s, I started feeling that longer hair suited me better, so I decided to grow it out.
I’ve kept my hair long ever since, and for now, I’m quite happy with it that way.
24) I often have nightmares and sleep paralysis
I’ve experienced nightmares and sleep paralysis since I was a child. Over the years, I found a rather strange way of dealing with the fear. I started watching more horror movies.
It sounds completely backwards, I know. Somehow, exposing myself to scary things has helped me become less afraid of them in real life. I think it has gradually trained my brain to handle fear a little better instead of immediately panicking.
My dreams can still get pretty intense, though. Sometimes I’ll dream that I’m holding my breath, only to realise that I’m actually holding my breath while sleeping. I usually wake up gasping for air.
So even though I’ve become less afraid of scary things when I’m awake, my dreams still have their own way of keeping me on my toes.
25) I only shower with milk-based or baby shower products
My skin is quite sensitive, and using the wrong shower product can leave it feeling extremely dry and itchy. After trying different products over the years, I found that milk-based products, especially goat milk shower products, work particularly well for me. Baby shower products work well too.
After using them, my skin feels softer, smoother and more hydrated instead of dry or tight.
At this point, I don’t really experiment with shower products anymore. I know what works for my skin, so I tend to stick to it. Whenever I try to change things up, my skin usually lets me know very quickly that it wasn’t a good idea. So I’d rather not take the risk and just stay with the products that I know work for me.
26) I’m sentimental
I’m a very emotional person when it comes to the people I care about. I like expressing my love and appreciation openly because I want the people in my life to know how much they mean to me.
Words are a big part of how I show affection, so if I like you, you’ll definitely know it. When I become close to someone, I tend to gush about them to other people and tell everyone how great they are.
I’m also the type of person who remembers the little things. I remember places because of how they made me feel, people who helped me, thoughtful gestures, photographs, anniversaries, personal milestones, and even whether someone remembers something I mentioned in passing. I can still recall specific experiences from years ago simply because they meant something to me.
For me, it’s rarely about grand gestures. I notice the small things that make me feel remembered and appreciated.
I don’t need someone to take care of my life. I’ve built my own life, and I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I simply want someone to make me feel cared about within the life I’ve already built.
27) I can’t swim
I’ve tried many times to learn how to swim, but I just can’t seem to get the hang of it. A big part of the problem is that I’m scared of deep water.
Whenever I’m in a swimming pool, I need to be able to touch the bottom with my feet. The moment my feet can’t reach the ground, I start to panic and will instinctively grab onto whoever is closest to me.
I’ve tried learning how to float too, but I find it difficult to relax and let my body stay on the water. The more I think about not being able to touch the bottom, the more panicked I get.
The funny thing is, I still don’t let that fear stop me from trying things. I’ve gone snorkelling even though I can’t swim, and I’d still love to try scuba diving one day.
28) Why whole family is tall
My brothers and most of my male relatives are over 180 cm tall, while I’m around 174 cm. Most of my female relatives are fairly tall too, so I guess being tall really does run in my family.
At 174 cm, I’m considered quite tall for a woman, but standing next to my brothers makes me look much shorter than I actually am.
So I can safely say that tall genes run in my family. We’re pretty much a tall family, just with a little difference in height between the men and women.
29) I used to have a mole on my face
When I was younger, I had a mole on my face that made me feel very self-conscious. People would often make fun of it, and over time, those comments affected how I saw myself.
I started feeling unattractive and insecure about something that was simply a part of my face. Eventually, when I was 22, I decided to have the mole removed.
Removing it made me feel much better about my appearance. I felt much more confident afterwards.
30) I lived with chronic ear problems for 27 years
I lived with chronic ear infections for 27 years, which came with regular episodes of vertigo, extreme ear pain, and sensitivity to sound and temperature.
One of the strangest parts was constantly hearing my own voice and even my breathing inside my ears. The condition affected my balance too, so it became something I had to live with for a very long time.
Eventually, my doctor discovered the formation of cysts in my middle ear that could erode important structures in the temporal bone.
I underwent major surgery in July 2014.
Thankfully, the condition hasn’t returned since. After living with it for so many years, having that chapter finally come to an end felt like a huge relief.
Love,
Auri Duham 🌻
