THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410210068
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E11 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GROOVY SAPIEN
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
ALTHOUGH SHE spent most of her high school career on stage, 18-year-old Chona-Lynne Santander is heading in a new direction.
With her Sony mini-camcorder in hand, Chona-Lynne has moved from the spotlight to behind the camera, taping her friends every chance she gets. With clips of her last day of high school, community cooking lessons and car trips to friends' houses, Chona-Lynne hopes to learn the editing tricks to turn her home movies into a mini ``Reality Bites.''
Even though this Tidewater Community College freshman is sampling another flavor of the entertainment industry, she hasn't given up on her acting career. After all, her parents named her after Chona Sandoval, a Filipino actress.
``It might be an omen,'' she said. ``I'll keep my options open.''
Full Name: Chona-Lynne Lavides Santander
Birthdate: Jan. 10, 1976 (Capricorn!)
Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Occupation: An appointment clerk at a medical clinic.
Siblings: Roderick, 15; Randy, 10 (the best bros in the world!)
Education: Salem High School honor graduate; TCC freshman; hope to transfer to Virginia Wesleyan to major in communications.
What is your idea of a perfect day off: At home with my best friends and cooking dinner for ourselves, because we have no money to spend!
Last smart thing you did: Took the majority of this summer off to relax myself of my senior year stresses and cutting my hair to beat the heat.
Last dumb thing you did: Besides cutting my hair (it was down to my rear end), I left my car keys with the alarm activator/deactivator in my pocket while riding the Roman Rapids at Busch Gardens. We couldn't get into the car because the water short-circuited the alarm.
Favorite meal: Sweet and sour pork with rice or a hamburger complete with fries or the ultimate - Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Favorite movies: The Disney Collection, as well as ``A League of Their Own,'' ``Sleepless in Seattle,'' ``Forrest Gump'' and ``Steel Magnolias.''
Favorite song: ``Stay'' by Lisa Loeb
Favorite singer/band: Jon Secada, 10,000 Maniacs, Troop, Cranberries and Babyface
Last book read: Actually, it was a ``Calvin and Hobbes'' comic book collection.
Hobbies: Photography, writing, reading and videotaping almost everything on my camcorder.
Best date you've been on: The ones with my boyfriend.
Worst date you've been on: Would not like to discuss.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?: My procrastination!
If you could change one thing about your parents, what would it be?: My parents balance out rather well. They are the best ``odd couple.'' All I could basically ask for is patience as I grow older and experience new things.
Secret vice: I have a weakness for Burger King hamburgers and onion rings.
Favorite TV shows: ``Melrose Place'' and ``Beverly Hills 90210''
Last vacation: Myrtle Beach, S.C. It rained the whole time and my family and I wound up spending most of the time at Wal-Mart.
Pets: A blue parakeet named Nicolette that my brother Rod accidentally let fly out of her cage into the wild blue yonder several years ago.
Best job: Two consecutive summers at D.J.'s Fashion Center for Men at Lynnhaven Mall.
Worst job: Being an extra for a movie for 12 hours straight in a noisy, smoke-filled club.
What achievements are you most proud of?: My three-year-long theater career at Salem, which includes 13 shows; being a member of ``Drama Exposed'' for two years; attaining presidency of thespian troupe No. 4687 my senior year; leaving Salem as an honor thespian; being voted best thespian of my troupe and most talented by the senior class.
What would you like to be in 10 years?: Happy. Hopefully married. As for my career, I hope to either be on my way to the big screen (behind it or in it) or a VJ on MTV talking about the movies, or a journalist writing about the movies or a linguist for the United Nations.
If you could change one thing in America, what would it be and why?: The media. Television has gotten extremely graphic with violence on the news, movies and even cartoons.
Heroes and role models: A good number of my teachers, but mainly I look up to my drama coach, Eva Roupas.
Your most unique trait: My concern over other people. I've always had the ``Treat the others the way you'd want to be treated'' attitude about people, and I try to be my best to my friends. Besides that, I'd have to say my ability to wear such big jeans on my 5-foot-tall body!
Best subject: English, Spanish and drama
Worst subject: Math and physics
If a movie was filmed about your life, what would be the dramatic turning point?: It would probably be when I found peace with my parents and actually understood their viewpoints in raising me and my brothers.
What makes you mad?: I have little pet peeves like when people don't put things back in the proper place, or onions on my hamburger, or ignorant people with closed minds. But what really upsets me is how today's youth is slowly deteriorating. Today's youth is not about education anymore, like it should be. It's about survival. I'm mad that this is reality. MEMO: Holly Wester is a student at Virginia Wesleyan College. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
DARCY CHANG
Tidewater Community College freshman Chona-Lynne Santander is drawn
to the stage.
by CNB