Fyang Smith describes her younger self as 'matigas ang ulo,' the type of kid who loved playing outside from morning until the afternoon. In high school, she was jolly and carefree, so much so that people often thought she didn’t know how to take life seriously. 

But after joining "Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11" and eventually emerging as the Big Winner, who is Fyang now? 

The Fyang today is more polished and mindful, a stark contrast the unfiltered 'eabab' when she first stepped into the PBB house. "Kasi before, kahit anong lumabas sa bibig ko wala akong pakialam. Kung before, kahit serious 'yung pag-uusap babaklain kita. Now, hindi na po, dahil kaunting mali lang mapupuna na," she shares. 

Even her posts now reflect this character growth. "Kasi sabi nila, 'I-level mo naman 'yung content mo sa mukha mo.' So ganda-gandahan na lang," she quips. These days, Fyang is more intentional about what she shares online, a far cry from her earlier days of posting whatever random thought came to mind. 

But that doesn't mean she's forgetting how she started. Fyang will always be thankful for that one random video she posted online out of boredom during the pandemic. That unplanned clip became her breakout moment, racking up millions of views and bringing in a wave of online supporters.

And while she has grown so much over the past few months, some things remain the same—like the fact that she’ll always be a "lola's girl." Looking at an old photo of young Fyang with her Lola Roberta, she reflects how her grandmother taught her how to be mapagmahal. Fyang grew up under her grandma's care since her mom worked in Hong Kong when she was a kid.

As Fyang grew older, her stubborn spirit might have gotten stronger, but so did her determination, a trait she got from her mom, Myrna.  While many might assume Fyang was born with a silver spoon, given her flawless look, the truth is, her family also went through a tough phase of poverty. She even had to hustle making charcoal just to earn some extra cash, which is why her mom strived hard as an OFW. 

While Mommy Myrna was employed overseas for many years, the distance never weakened their mother-daughter closeness. Fyang never harbored resentment, knowing in her heart that everything her mom did was for her and for their family. She understood that her mom’s hard work was driven by the desire to give them a better life.

Growing up, she didn’t have her dad around, but she focused on her mom and grandma's presence instead of feeling embittered by her father's absence. 

Fast forward to today, and Fyang feels like she’s living in a dream, with both her parents by her side and cheering her on every step of the way. Her father, who once kept avoiding cameras and public attention, surprised everyone by showing up at the "PBB Gen 11" Big Night. And seeing him there was one the sweetest moments she witnessed as she stepped into the outside world. If Fyang is a total 'palaban' when she's with her mom, she transforms into this demure version when she's with her dad, who loves to shower her with the 'princess treatment.'

By now, we all know the story behind her rose to social media stardom, but not many of us are familiar with her life as a student, and that's exactly what she shared in her interview with Bianca Gonzalez on BRGY. 

Fyang comes across as chill and carefree, but behind that laid-back vibe is a dedicated student with impressive grades. In fact, she graduated as salutatorian in elementary school. "No'ng time na 'yon, big deal sa akin ang grades ko. Ayaw kong magka-line of eight, gusto ko lahat ng nasa card ko line of nine. And na-achieve naman po 'yun," she smiles with pride. 

However, Fyang admits that she was less competitive in high school, especially during the pandemic, when everyone was understandably struggling to find motivation. But that motivation is definitely back now. Despite her busy schedule, she is continuing her studies through a homeschool program while juggling it with her budding showbiz career.

Fyang is currently in Grade 12, taking the ABM (Accountancy, Business and Management) strand, which prepares students for college business programs. However, she’s determined to someday pursue another dream of hers—becoming a surgeon, which, interestingly, was sparked by an experience at her aunt’s piggery.

"One time, hindi mailabas ng baboy 'yung baby niya. 'Pag hindi nailabas mamamatay 'yung nanay. Eh, ako po, hindi ako madiriin, wala akong kaarte-arte sa katawan. So, inutusan ako, 'Dukutin mo na.' With my bare hands, pinasok ko 'yung mga daliti ko at dinukot ko 'yung baby sa loob," she recalls. "That time, ang sarap sa kamay! Ang sarap sa feeling magpaanak ng baboy."

As much as Fyang is focused on her personal growth, she's also learning how to navigate love and friendship in this new world she's stepping into. "Friends in public, lovers in private," she says when asked how she would want to handle her next chapter in the romance department. This isn’t really a lesson learned from the very publicized heartbreak she went through while inside Bahay Ni Kuya. It’s just that she believes it’s better to have some privacy in her next relationship. 

If Fyang's ideal guy before entering the "PBB Gen 11" house was someone respectful, family-oriented, tall, and moreno, now, with a more mature perspective on romance, she feels like she doesn’t have a specific 'type' anymore. She'll just know when she sees the right guy. 

Close friends for life—that's how she describes her bond with her fellow housemates, and it’s clear that their bond only grew stronger even after the show wrapped up. According to Fyang, one of the biggest surprises when she got out of the house was discovering the JMFyang fandom, or the fanbase that ships her with JM Ibarra, who she considers her best friend. 

"No'ng nasa loob kami, talagang casual lang, BFF... Pero 'yung to the point na grabe 'yung fandom ng JMFyang, sabi ko, 'Bakit may ganitong edit?'" she laughs, still stunned.

And while some things still feel overwhelming—like how she says her win didn’t fully sink in until she performed with her fellow Big 4 members on "ASAP" a few days later—Fyang is definitely ready to take on whatever comes next.