YOU may have heard of her from her viral ‘emotionallll damageee’ video or seen her on social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram as ‘qiwiie.’ The 26-year-old, with 1.3 million TikTok followers and 645,000 Instagram followers, is a proud Kuching girl.
She is a teacher by profession and a teaching content creator on the side. Her name is Ting Shi Qi, and she has found her passion in education, social media, and recently, creating meaningful friendships through a card game, buthonestly.co.
The video incident occurred while Shi Qi was teaching a class when her students interrupted her and called it ‘emotionallll damageee,’ an original statement by Irish-Chinese comedian Steven He.
Shi Qi, widely known by this name, co-founded the card game with a group of friends from Kuching. Within just one year, her presence on social media has exploded.
The bubbly, kind and soft-hearted girl shares her highs and lows as she manages life as a teacher, business owner and social media influencer.
Is it a mere coincidence or a hidden blessing?
Shi Qi was born and raised in Kuching. She attended Chung Hua (SJK) Primary School No.3. After completing her Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), she continued her secondary school education at Lodge International School before leaving for the United States of America (USA) to pursue a degree in Elementary Education at the University of Central Oklahoma in Oklahoma.
It was quite clearduring the interview that Shi Qi’s gentle approach left an impression on why children and her students adore her.
After studying in the US for four years and working there for a year, she taught primary 1 students aged 6 to 7 years old.
Later, Shi Qi returned to Kuching for a month while waiting for the results of her internship with Hannah Yeoh, the current Youth and Sports Minister.
“I came back to Kuching for a month because I was waiting for my internship. I interned with Yeoh for three months. That was the whole reason for me coming back to Malaysia after finishing my year of teaching in the US,” she said.
Shi Qi explained that she was contemplating whether to return to Kuching or find a job in Kuala Lumpur, but someone in Yeoh’s office referred her to a teaching job, which she initially didn’t want.
“I didn’t want to go back to teaching. I just wanted to work with kids, so I went to the interview. I informed the principal that I had another job offer but still wanted to go through the interview,” Shi Qi enthused.
Acknowledging her success and achievements, Shi Qi attributed them to God’s favour in her life and emphasised the need to responsibly manage what has been entrusted to her.
Mental health advocate
Shi Qi’s strong character exuded her determination to see children succeed and thrive. It was evident that she was meant to make an impact on the next generation.
She began teaching during the lockdown, and when she returned to school, she started creating TikTok content with her students.
When asked about the origin of the idea, she mentioned that it was random.
“While I was in KL, just when the border was reopening, I reinstalled TikTok, and I made a video of me going back to Kuching. It went viral overnight. I enjoy creating content, even on Instagram. I tried making a video with my students, and it went viral last year, in 2022,” she explained.
Until February of this year, Shi Qi was a full-time teacher. Currently, she is a part-time teacher, balancing her roles as a business owner, social media influencer and teacher.
She teaches a course called Contentment Foundation, which is offered by Yale University. This course focuses on student well-being and mental health.
“A lot of my skills and teaching techniques come from the US. The things I learned there are very different from the way teachers teach here. We learn a lot about how to encourage kids, such as positive reinforcement and fun teaching techniques. That’s what all the teachers in the US emphasise,” she shared.
Shi Qi further emphasised the importance of mental health in students and children.
She mentioned that in the US, all schools provide opportunities for students to see a therapist for free. However, perhaps in Malaysia, the importance of mental health is not given the same level of significance.
“I’m a huge advocate for helping kids mentally. Kids are very open, and I’ve had kids tell me, ‘I don’t think my parents love me.’ Maybe they don’t have support at home. It’s important to speak life into them and provide encouragement. These kids can come from tough environments,” she said.
She believes that schools need to invest in mental health support, and a crucial part of a child’s development is showing them love and care.
Due to Shi Qi’s popular and positive content on TikTok and Instagram, she continues to attract viewers from around the world.
Teacher Shi Qi or qiwiiee
Transitioning from her ordinary day-to-day life to almost living like a celebrity, Shi Qi’s impact as a teacher far outweighs her fame. Wherever she goes, at least one person wants to take a picture with “Teacher Shi Qi.”
According to Shi Qi, because her videos have reached a global audience, her ‘emotionallll damageee’ video has been translated into Thai, Chinese, and other languages. People think “qiwiiee” is her real name.
Despite the limelight, Shi Qi has experienced various struggles and understands that social media can sometimes be superficial. However, she is grateful for her church community, closest friends, and family who support her through those tough times.
Regardless of the ups and downs Shi Qi faces, she remains consistent and determined to achieve her goals.
“The growth has been so rapid for me, I feel like I don’t have enough time. I want to be a good teacher and focus on ‘buthonestly.co.’ I want to pursue all these opportunities, but I have to delegate,” she shared.
“Sometimes I receive random hate; my profile is very public, and everyone has an opinion of me. Sometimes there are mean comments,” she added.
Her advice to other young content creators and those with big dreams is to never give up and continue pursuing those dreams.
“I’ve always been very ambitious and dreamed big. Just because you grew up in a small town doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish your dreams,” she encouraged.
“I never imagined I would become a teaching content creator. I just did what I love. Pursue your dreams, especially when you’re young, so you can take crazy risks. Don’t let people tell you that you can’t dream. If I had listened to people telling me what I can and can’t do, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she shared.
Loved by her students, colleagues, and even her students’ parents, Shi Qi has had positive experiences with parents from a teaching perspective.
“I’m very grateful; it’s been very positive. The parents see me online, and they get very happy if they see their children on social media,” she expressed.
She mentioned that younger parents are very supportive, and even her school’s principal follows her and watches her videos.
“In my school, I’m part of the marketing team, and I’m very lucky. My school environment is so positive,” she added.
As Teacher Shi Qi, she teaches a small class of 20 to 30 students. However, in the future, she is open to the possibility of opening a tuition centre that focuses on mental health.
For now, she wants to continue creating great and meaningful content.
She looks forward to helping more underprivileged children and actively engaging in efforts related to children’s mental health.
