The Peak

SFSS Profile: 20 questions with Chantelle Chand

By Kelli Ross, Kendra Wong

1. What is your favourite thing about SFU?

I’ve met a lot of really cool people. I think everybody says that, but it’s true. It’s the friends that you’ve made [that count will] and I’ve had a lot of really good classes, even profs and TAs that I’ve made friends with.

2. What’s your greatest achievement?

I would say it’s having a hand in helping to bring up my little brother and making him who he is today. I take care of him a lot and we’re really close. I was 11 when he was born. I’ve always been there his whole life and I’m really proud of him, he’s starting high school.

3. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Reality TV and stand-up comedy. The Waynes Brothers, and John Leguizamo — I’ve heard conversations where people thought he was really terrible [at] comedy and his stand up was really bad. But I really liked it, I was laughing a lot!

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

I don’t know what I’ll be doing, but I just want to be happy, feel important, and be healthy.

5. What was the last book you read?

I was reading Tuesdays With Morrie [by Mitch Albom] and Five Languages of Love, which is about the different ways in which people express themselves and communicate their affection for each other. There are people who are more quiet, people who are more physical and touchy, there are people that use words, there are people that use gestures, stuff like that. It teaches you how to learn your partner’s language and adapt to it and also diversify your own.

6. What was your most embarrassing moment?

I’m really clumsy, physically and with my words. Last week I was walking up the stairs with someone I’d just met, and I fell. It was really awkward because I was laughing but he wasn’t. It’s better if you’re both laughing than him feeling super bad for you.

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

Africa because my grandma’s from there and whenever she talks about it . . . it sounds really magical. I’ve traveled [to] a lot of places and I’ve never been there, and it seems like it’s a really beautiful place to go.

8. What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is that I will not be able to provide for my family. Not only in terms of money but emotionally and mentally. I want to be able to bring them up right. I believe in interdependence in a relationship and in a family unit, but at the same time if all else fails and I’m by myself, I want to be able to do it on my own. I’m afraid that I won’t grow up enough to do that.

9. What are you most grateful for?

My mom. She’s my idol and a really strong woman. We’re really close, and she’s always reliable. She’s my role model and I want to be like her.

10. What is your biggest regret?

Being indecisive about things and not taking chances. I’m really over-analytical and a lot of times I end up missing opportunities for things because I’m thinking about it too much, and I’ve let a lot of things slip by. Or I just haven’t done things because I was too scared and didn’t want to take the chance.

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

Oprah Winfrey. I watch the show all the time and I get chastised for it by some people, but she’s really cool and she gets to meet a lot of people with insights. I would like to have her insight for a day and just see the world through her eyes, because I look up to her.

12. What are your favourite movies?

The Colour Purple, All Dogs Go To Heaven — I watched it over and over again when I was younger. Also, Death Becomes Her, and Twilight. I’m not a huge Robert Pattison fan but that was a good movie.

13. What is your biggest pet peeve?

I hate it when people spit in the streets. I’ve gone a lot of places, I know that it’s common, but somebody did it right in front of me this morning on my way walking to the bus and it was so nasty.

14. What is the most important thing you look for in a potential mate?

A sense of humour. I have a really weird sense of humour and I really like laughing. I have a 13-year-old brother, and we just crack up all day long. It’s super important to me. If you can make me laugh, if you smell good, and if you’re ambitious, that’s all I need.

15. What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

It was in grade 11 summer school. I met this person who was older than me. We went to go see Final Destination. Before the movie started, he told me he had a girlfriend, but they were having trouble. I didn’t know what to do — I’m with somebody else’s boyfriend! You kind of question, ‘why would you ask me out on a date if you have a girlfriend?’

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

My mom had a brother who passed away when she was really young, and I always hear a lot about him, but I never met him, so I want him to be there. Barack Obama — I really love him because of the way he speaks and his ability to capture everybody’s attention; he just seems so genuine. Chris Rock, and Jamie Fox.

17. Do you play any instruments?

I used to play piano, but not anymore.

18.Are there any instruments you wish you could play?

[I’d play] drums. For sure, drums. I just think they’re so cool. They’re the beat and the soul of the band.

19. Finish this sentence: Student politicians are . . .

They’re movers and shakers. I was never involved in student politics, [but] from what I’ve learned, they really care, and they actually do the work and take the initiative to get things done.

20. What made you want to run for the science rep position?

One of my friends just messaged me on Facebook about a job opportunity and he’s like, ‘it’s getting involved, and it’s really good experience and I think you’d like it,’ and I just came to a meeting and it turned out that he had a slate he had put together and everybody was running, and I [thought] ‘why not?’ and then I ran. I just basically asked all my friends in science and got everybody to vote.