I'm Turning 30 Soon—And Inka Magnaye, Angely Dub, Belle Rodolfo, And Angelu Zafe Are Changing The Way I See This Decade

When Angely Dub joined our call, she was visibly walking the vibrant streets of Spain. "I hope you have time to talk now?" I asked. "Yes," she responded enthusiastically. "I wanted to take a walk as we speak." A few days later, I was virtually welcomed to Angelu Zafe's TikTok-famous apartment, which she shares with her girlfriend. "I love your space," I noted, admiring her quirky decor. Meanwhile, both Inka Magnaye and Belle Rodolfo had their cameras off, but for good reasons. "I'm doing my haircare routine," Belle shared, while Inka, presumably exhausted from her biggest voiceover project yet—SB19's concert at the Philippine Arena—was sick in bed.

These four women lead diverse, dynamic lives, each full in its own right. They occupy different spaces, yet a common thread unites them: they are all in their 30s—and they are absolutely loving it.

I'm not 30 yet, but I'm certainly getting there. Most days, I feel I'm doing well, enjoying a life I like and a semblance of stability. But there are moments when I become acutely aware of society's expectations, especially for women. Perhaps I should consider settling down, finding a suburban place, and building a life with a partner and a golden retriever.

Yet, within a minute, I realize that these aren't my thoughts—they are society's whispers bleeding through my own ambitions. Because if anything, the closer I get to 30, the more I learn to dream with the naive, hopeful audacity of my 13-year-old self. And of course, I had to speak with the women who inspire me to concretize the type of life I truly desire.

Content creator and writer Angelu Zafe first rose to social media fame when she began posting silent vlogs on her then-secret TikTok page in 2023. "My goal then was just to document my moving out and living alone journey, because it was such an event for me," she shared. Soon, people embraced her videos, and when she landed her first brand deal in less than a year, a thought sparked: "What if I take this seriously?"

Before TikTok, Angelu was deeply entrenched in the corporate world. Coming from a humble background, she believed her career was confined to that space. She never imagined she possessed the capacity or resources to break free, until she discovered the immense potential the Internet offered. "This isn't something handed to me," she reflected. "I created this for myself. The freedom to get out of situations I don't like."

Now, with nearly 100,000 followers on TikTok, Angelu radiates confidence in the platform she's built. From silent, faceless vlogs, she has transitioned to engaging talking-head videos and regular live streams. "I've always been a creative kid," she recalled, acknowledging that "it was something I held back." Today, when friends realize she's famous online, their common refrain is, "It's like it was your destiny to be a content creator." For Angelu, content creation has become her creative outlet, a space where she lets her inner "creative kid" play.

This year, Angelu turned 30 and made a bold decision she previously thought impossible: taking a career break. Entering her third decade, she realized she no longer needed to walk a straight line or remain confined to a single identity. Throughout her twenties, she identified solely as a writer due to her professional work, which limited her perception of what she could do. With her own platform, she now understands she has more room to explore and "play."

"If Angelu in her 20s met the Angelu now," she mused, "she'd be shocked." She joyously recounted a recent trip to Singapore for a concert, a stark contrast to her younger self, who only acquired a passport for a valid ID. "I never thought I could travel," she shared, "and now I've been to Singapore thrice."

Her advice to younger women contemplating unconventional paths? "Allow yourself to make decisions, but also allow yourself to change your mind. Let yourself play and flirt with the world in a way that doesn't cage you into one identity. I don't feel bad anymore that I let my path change. And I'm much better for it."

Belle Rodolfo, a beauty content creator who turned 33 this year, found her earlier success largely measured by her career, but now leans towards balance. Her thirties, she notes, offer the freedom of "adult money" combined with a "self-aware mindset," creating a "nice place to be in."

Reflecting on her teenage aspirations, Belle recounted how she rushed into a career, influenced by magazines and books that painted a picture of the "rom-com girl" writer. She had a clear five-year plan, meticulously followed each step, and was proud when she achieved her publishing dream.

However, in 2018, she and her colleagues were laid off, shattering that world. "After that," she explained, she adopted a "never say never" attitude. She now pursues paths unforeseen by her teenage self, acknowledging she's "went beyond everything I ever dreamed of." 

When it comes to societal pressure to "settle down" by her 30s, Belle shares a unique perspective. Growing up amidst women who were similarly non-traditional, she "never felt pressured to settle down." Her parents, though married early, didn't pressure her to follow their exact footsteps. Her all-girls Catholic school's push for "saving yourself for marriage" didn't stick. As a queer woman, her expectations for her own life diverged early on. "As a spoiled daddy's girl," she added, "I was taught to put myself first also."

The biggest misconception Belle held about being in your 30s was thinking it would be "so old." She vividly recalled a conversation with a gay best friend in college, joking that by 35 or 40, they'd end up together in a "lavender marriage." Now, she finds herself thinking, "Oh my god, that's such a young age." This shift came with greater exposure to the world, making her realize that life begins at 30. She sees this decade of her life as a time "where a woman comes into her full power," with self-awareness, personal style, and the ability to set firm boundaries.

At 36, Inka Magnaye, the renowned voiceover artist, content creator, event host, podcaster, and now an actress, struggles to encapsulate her identity in a single sentence. "It's nice that you can't do that," she reflected, as it reveals how "much bigger that you think you are."

Voice acting, however, has been the "spine" of her entire life since age five, the unwavering constant. As a teenager, her dreams were more varied—archeologist, marine biologist—but she felt pressured to choose one. Looking back at her yearbook, she noted, "I want to be a doctor but not really." This year, she achieved a long-held dream: "When I was younger, I wanted to be in the movies and I did that this year."

Societal pressure to "settle down" never quite penetrated Inka's world. Her family, she shared, "never pressured any of us to start a family." Instead, they prioritized being "good people," instilling values of kindness and empathy. This upbringing meant questions about marriage or children from external sources felt alien. "I'm just like, who are you? My family doesn't do that to me." This familial support is key to her confident and joyful navigation of her thirties.

Her family's approach to aging was the opposite of societal norms. They "always celebrate age," proudly wearing their grey hair and wrinkles. When Inka hit her 30s, despite the external fears, her family's support was her "trust fall." "It's just the beginning," they told her. And indeed, for Inka, it was.

Angely Dub, a 34-year-old entrepreneur, identifies foremost as a businesswoman. While many know her for Access Travel, the company she founded at 19, she initially focused on building her business's reputation rather than seeking personal fame. Her 20s were a period of "exploration" and "discovery," a time for writing the "guidebook for her thirties." Now, she describes herself simply as "Angely Dub, entrepreneur/businesswoman of Access Travel and Happi Lab."

Angely—who was among Cosmo's Women Of Influence awardees in 2024—never felt pressured by conventional expectations, largely due to her upbringing. She was raised in a household where there was no difference in expectations between girls and boys.

Her mother, she said, was "more healed" and "educated," always telling her, "I'd rather see you do a solo flight than marry a miserable man." This foundation instilled in Angely a sense of security and freedom, allowing her to prioritize a "good life, happy life, and healthy life" above material possessions or societal milestones. She simply wanted to live a "free life"—free to move, buy what she wanted, and make her own choices.

Defying the societal pressure to "settle down," Angely chose to move to Spain before turning 30, observing how people there actively "extend their single life." She attributes this difference to cultural norms, where Filipinos, she believes, often live "so scared what this person is to say."

Her "intimidating personality" often shields her from direct questioning. She challenges intrusive comments, recalling a friend's remark that a famous woman, like Angely, was "hard to please." Angely firmly responded, "You have no clue what it takes to be different. Mas madaling sumunod sa normal path." She stressed cutting off negativity, as "a lot of women live with these comments." For Angely, living for others is "hell"; marriage, she believes, should come naturally.

A key misconception for Angely in her younger years was the fear of aging and succumbing to pressure. However, her upbringing instilled a strong sense of personal accountability. For women in their late twenties or early thirties feeling hesitant about unconventional paths, Angely offers a stark but empowering message: "To be free is the biggest privilege you can have."

While acknowledging varying starting points and her privilege, she stressed, "We always have a choice to do things by ourselves." Blaming others is no longer viable; "it's time to be accountable." "If you want to change, it should start with yourself." She highlights the abundance of resources available today—Ted Talks, podcasts, TikToks—that empower individuals to pursue their own paths and create a life of their choosing.

As I edge closer to my 30s this year, I'm letting the stories of these four women fuel me. Each one is a vibrant testament to self-definition—powerfully dismantling outdated ideas of what this next decade is supposed to look like.