Wendy Syfret
Wendy Syfret is the author of The Sunny Nihilist and a freelance writer based in Melbourne.
Opinion
Parenting
How do you know if you were ‘raised right’? I’ve always felt like I’m missing something
To be brought up with money, power, beauty and status are advantages few of us are lucky to have. But to be “raised right” is a scarcer, more valuable privilege.
- by Wendy Syfret
Latest
Opinion
University
Returning to uni at 36 has convinced me: This is no place for teenagers
Whether they’re getting high distinctions or failing it doesn’t make a difference. They’re all wasting their time, money, arrogance, self-belief and unlined skin.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
Millennials
I thought not Googling everything would set me free. Instead, it ruined my garden
I’m not sure if having the answers would have saved my nasturtiums, but not knowing didn’t help me either. Somehow, my fantasy didn’t bring peace or protection.
- by Wendy Syfret
Not all medication is ‘pregnancy-safe’. So how do you calculate the risks?
For those dealing with chronic health conditions, the choice to continue or stop taking medication during pregnancy can be complicated.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
Social media
Celebrities are taking life’s greatest pleasure and making it feel like work
Nothing tells you more about a person than what’s in their fridge. And while this fascination has been around for centuries, it’s now bloomed into a full-blown social obsession.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
Neighbours
I’m living my best commune life in the ’burbs. Nudity aside, I think we’re onto something
Gossip, meals, lawnmowers, utensils, daily stresses, chores, petty grievances and half-finished bottles of wine are constantly shared. Doorbells go un-rung, shoes unworn. It’s as common to drop by in pyjamas as it is jeans.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
Parenting
What the darkness of parenting memes taught me about motherhood
As a millennial who came of age in digital media, I know a lot about memes. But nothing prepared me for the onslaught of “jokes” I’d witness as a new parent.
- by Wendy Syfret
You’re not imagining it, fast fashion is ruining op shops
Whether you shop or work in second-hand stores, the onslaught of brands like Shein and Kmart’s Anko is hard to ignore.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
Money & relationships
Working class isn’t just a way of life. Thanks to ‘brokecore’, it’s a fashion trend
While being properly poor sadly remains demode, this season we want the illusion of struggle. The eau de toilette of fiscal stress, not the full-on perfume.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
My First Job
They hired me because of my older sister. Turned out, I was not my older sister
The coffee chain probably thought they’d hit the jackpot when my older sister asked them to give me a job. I could be a Solange to her Beyonce. How wrong they were.
- by Wendy Syfret
Opinion
Style
In my hunt for the most elusive summer staple, it hit me. I’ve become my mother
Thin cotton, a flattering cut and timeless, the Hot Day Dress is the mythical holy grail of women’s wardrobes.
- by Wendy Syfret