The Peak

SFSS Profile: 20 questions with Alysia MacGrotty

1. What is your favourite thing about SFU?

The people. When I first came up here I went to Clubs Days and I was so impressed with how many students were involved. I came from Douglas and there were no clubs. You knew everybody but there were no activities. When I saw all these clubs doing specific things, I was so impressed, and it made we want to get involved.

2. What is your greatest achievement?

Besides winning six elections in my life . . . I did the Miss New Westminster Ambassador program. Throughout the whole program I was really shy. We did public speaking, I learned how to walk in heels, and present my self in an appropriate lady-like manner. That was my greatest achievement because I got over a lot of my fears.

3. What is your guilty pleasure?

I have a glass of milk everyday before I go to bed. When I do that I usually have good dreams because there is protein in milk that makes your brain active. When you’re sleeping you’re still thinking and dreaming.

4. Where do you hope to be in 10 years?

I hope to travel the world. I’ve already been to Japan, England, Mexico, and various parts of the States, but I would really like to see Europe . . . I find that if I travel, I meet new people, and will probably learn a lot about myself at the same time. I hope to have a career and a family. I want three kids.

5. What is the last book you read?

Deborah Grey’s autobiography called Never Retreat, Never Explain and Never Apologize. She was the first Reform MP that was elected in the Reform Party, and the first woman. I met her in January and I was really inspired by her.

6. What was your most embarrassing moment?

When I was younger I was playing in the park and it was an exhausting summer day, you’re playing, having fun, and you want to just lay down. I thought I was going to sit on a bench, but I sat on a barbeque. My mom rushed me to the hospital . . . I have no scars, but in that moment I realized I should probably be more careful.

7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

My number one choice would be Greece. My first job was in a Greek kitchen and they were hard-core Greek men. They talked in Greek, they taught me slang words, and they told me how beautiful it was.

8. If you could switch lives with anyone who would it be?

That’s a really hard question because I really do enjoy my life and I wouldn’t switch with anyone . . . I love my life.

9. What is your greatest fear?

Being alone and not finding the one. I would want to know for sure that it’s right, my greatest fear would be knowing that it’s wrong.

10. What are you most grateful for?

My parents bought [me] a house three doors down from their house. I live on the same street. I moved in, in 2006 when I was 20 years old and I have three roommates that I care about a lot. I’m grateful that I can live on my own, but at the same time, still be very close with my parents.

11. What is your biggest regret?

Not learning French. When I was in grade five, you had to make the decision to go into French. It’s not my own regret, because it wasn’t my decision, but since I couldn’t go I just dropped it. I learned Japanese instead.

12. If you could go back to a certain memory in time, what would it be?

When I got crowned as Miss Friendship at the Miss New Westminster Ambassador program, I got to walk down the isle, I had everyone applauding for me, and all I could do was smile. That was a pretty cool feeling.

13. Do you play any instruments?

I’ve been playing the piano since I was [about eight]. I also took voice lessons as well. I’m part of the Vocal Jazz Club. Throughout high school I was a band geek, I played the clarinet.

14. What is your biggest pet peeve?

I change my clothes like 10 times a day. It will take me 45 minutes to choose my outfit. When I get to school, I change my outfit again. Sometimes I think about my mood, how cold it is, or who is going to see me. I want to look nice all of the time.

15. What is the most important thing you look for in a person of the opposite sex?

Someone who understands me, I’m a pretty complex person. When I’m with someone I want them to know that when I cry, it’s usually because I’m happy or if I’m silent that probably means I’m upset. I want someone who wants to get to know me, and love me for who I am.

16. What is the best date you’ve ever been on?

It was the summer before I started at SFU and we’d been dating for two months. He took me to his car, blindfolded me, and drove me up to SFU. He took me to the AQ pond and he made me a picnic. We had wine and lay under the stars for the whole night. He knew how excited I was to get into SFU. We talked about what I wanted to do and our future.

17. If you could choose any five people to have an imaginary dinner with, who would they be?

Princess Diana, my grandma, Alanis Morissette, Leonard Cohen, and Sean Connery.

18. Who do you admire the most?

I admire my mother. She’s a very strong, beautiful, outspoken, businesswoman . . . . Not only did succeeded in her career but she’s 100 per cent committed to volunteer work. She’s been to Japan and she knows Japanese. She’s got amazing networking skills, she knows a lot of people. She’s been the backbone of our family and I hope I can be like her.

19. What is your life motto?

Things happen for a reason. My mom has always said that to me, I’m meant to be here, and it was my drive and effort to make it happen.

20. Student politics are . . .

One of the best ways to get to know yourself, to learn about other people, and to develop your personal opinions about the world. You make it what it is, and if you can turn it around to really benefit students . . . then it is so worthwhile.