Meet Angela Cheng, a third year in the Microbiology program! She is originally from Port Alberni (also known as Puerto Alberni). At UVic, she spends a lot of time studying but likes to recharge with friends. People are drawn to her outgoing and bubbly personality, which means that she fits in great as a Community Leader and as facilitator for QVic, an LGBT+ focused club that welcomes students from all over the spectrum.
This year Angela has been hired to work as a part of a work-study program. Through this program, Angela works with one of her professors on projects pertaining to bioinformatics and analyses of viral genomes. Angela’s favourite project they handled this year was a mini research project on flu viruses. While she has really enjoyed participating in the work-study, she realizes that she needs a balance between academics and other interests. Being a part of residence life and volunteering with QVic provides opportunities for her to work with lots of different people, and to facilitate community building. She describes QVic as a friendly group which gives students living in residence who are exploring or who have found their sexual and gender identities a place to hangout. QVic is currently looking for volunteers, and welcomes everyone to get involved by sending a message to their Facebook page!
Angela is a fountain of fun facts, stories, and anecdotes; here are a few from our (very entertaining) interview.
HC: Do you have any hobbies?
Angela: Going out for a drink, and drawing.
HC: Do you have a favourite place to drink, then?
Angela: The Yates Street Taphouse and the classic Sticky Wickett are great places to meet up and hang out with friends.
HC: Do you have a favourite drink order?
Angela: A gin and tonic with a cucumber, because I’m an old lady.
HC: So if you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for?
Angela: It would be a huge rave sort of party and it would be a really high energy environment. It would be all day and at a pool. And have free massages by the pool! The occasion would probably be just to celebrate life and the fact that we are alive.
HC: Is that your life mantra then, trying to enjoy the moment?
Angela: My outlook on the world usually changes every three months, but that’s what it would be right now. I think that it changes so often because I’m very easily influenced by my surroundings and people the people that I’m around. Every time I meet someone new I absorb some of their ideologies and re-evaluate… my outlooks.
HC: I guess your outlooks have been changing a lot during your time at UVic then, especially because you have technically “become an adult” while going to school here. Is there a number one thing that you love about being an adult?
Angela: I don’t actually feel like I am an adult yet because this is my third year living in residence and not cooking for myself or having real responsibilities. Although, I really like being older than nineteen and being the legal age to do stuff. I like the freedom that comes with it, where I can be like, “I want to do this,” and then do it. It gives me the ability to be spontaneous.
HC: Is there anything specific coming up that you’re planning on using your legal-ness for?
Angela: I’m really excited about going to the Pemberton Music Festival this July!
HC: Who are you looking forward to seeing there?
Angela: Well, my girlfriend is actually coming back to Canada for the festival, so I’m most looking forward to seeing her because she is currently traveling in Central America. But I’m also looking forward to seeing Tyler the Creator and Snoop Dogg perform again, and to see Kaskade and Wiz Khalifa for the first time.
Whether Angela is your CL, your classmate, or just standing next to you in the caf, feel free to say “hi” and get to know more about her!