Built different: 60 everyday street smarts that make Singaporeans… Singaporean

Our Lion City turns 60 this year — and while we're celebrating the big milestones and flashy headlines, let's not forget the little things that make us uniquely Singaporean.

We're talking about the real skills — like knowing how to 'chope' a hawker table and dumping all sorts of valuables on it, navigating ERP timings with the accuracy of a sniper, and ordering your cai png with precision and no judgement.

These aren't taught in school, but if you grew up here, chances are you've unlocked most of them without even realising it.

Here are 60 everyday skills that Singaporeans have silently perfected — because behind every kopi order is a generation fluent in unspoken street smarts.

Hawker and food court survival

1. Ordering economic bee hoon in the right sequence

2. Snaking through a hawker centre carrying a tray of hot soup without spilling anything

3. Scouting out the best chicken rice

4. Bringing your own tissue for wet hawker tables

5. Knowing which food stalls are worth the queue

6. Ordering cai png without holding up the queue

7. Ascertaining which stall is best based on the length of its queue

Public transport hacks

8. Timing your travel to avoid ERP charges

9. Knowing exactly where MRT doors will open out into an escalator or lift

10. Using bus stop codes to check bus arrivals

11. Zigzag walking through crowded MRT stations

12. Entering, and exiting from the least crowded MRT door

13. Navigating Raffles Place MRT station's many exits without the help of signs

14. Sleeping on the bus, only to wake up right in time for your stop

15. Navigating the underground walkways of Orchard

16. Walking through Promenade MRT, City Hall, and Funan without going outside

Choping and queuing culture

17. 'Choping' a table with tissue or umbrella

18. Joining queues without knowing what it's for (then Googling)

19. Tactically cutting queues at stalls with pre-orders

20. Eyeing a person finishing his or her last bites at a table for a fast 'chope'

21. Leaving a valuable item (like a laptop or phone) to 'chope' but still keeping an eye on it from afar

Smart shopping and promo skills

22. Using FairPrice app to 'Scan & Go' for a hassle-free shopping experience

23. Checking vouchers on Shopee and Lazada before any big buy

24. Planning meals based on supermarket promo timings (FairPrice or Don Don Donki late night deals)

25. Maximising credit card cashback promos

26. Getting info about warehouse sales like a veteran

27. Knowing the best way spend CDC vouchers

28. Knowing whether to use GrabPay, Shopback, Favepay, etc for the best deal

Everyday street smarts

29. Walking under HDB void decks during rain to get to your destination

30. Dodging flyer distributors like a ninja

31. Avoiding bird poop zones near trees

32. Wearing a jacket in 30 degree Celcius weather without sweating

33. Selling off your vintage items on Carousell

34. Eating chicken wings with one hand or with chopsticks

35. Avoiding eye contact with insurance agents outside the MRT

36. Running for the bus but making it look natural

37. Returning unopened wet tissue at a restaurant to avoid paying for it

38. Proudly wearing slippers in Orchard

39. Acting like you're too tired to stand for 10 mins on the MRT, yet being able to queue three hours for Hello Kitty at McDonald's

40. Knowing exactly when to drive in and out of Woodlands Checkpoint to beat the jam

Language and cultural know-how

41. Knowing when to call someone 'aunty' vs "ma'am"

42. Using Singlish to diffuse tension

43. Switching between four languages in one sentence

44. Understanding 'bo jio' etiquette

45. Mastering all lah, lor, leh combinations

46. Explaining Singlish terms to tourists with pride

47. Navigating wedding dinner ang bao rates

48. Differentiating between kopi and teh variations like a barista

49. Recognising Singaporeans overseas before they even open their mouths

50. Complain about everything from the heat to the MRT, but still come to Singapore's defence whenever non-Singaporeans criticise her

51. Saying "see first" or "see how" to avoid overtly rejecting invites

52. Couples turning admin tee and PT shorts into couple outfit

53. (For males) Breaking the ice with complete strangers by talking about National Service

54. Consoling people by saying "shag bro"

55. Becoming an expert in politics every time it's election season

Housing and estate life

56. Picking the best shaded lots for unsheltered carparks

57. Timing entering the lift alone to avoid neighbour gossip

58. Dodging MP walkabout handshake traps

59. Finding the fastest way through maze-like HDBs

60. Knowing when void deck weddings end (for sleep)

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.