Campus Cutie: Tim Tiu

Name: Tim Tiu

Year: 2014

Major: Electrical engineering 

Hometown: Cheltenham, PA

Do you have any nicknames?

Oh I have a whole list. Tim, Timmy, Timmy Tiu, T-squared, DJ Timmy Tiu, Timlet, T-Chug…that’s a whole other story…. My family calls me TJ because my middle name is John, my high school soccer team called me Flyin Hawaiian…I have a lot of nicknames now that I think about it. “Timmy Tiu” is really popular with the Asian Student Association. Seriously, all the Asians on campus call me Timmy Tiu, all the white people call me Tim. If you ever hear someone call me Timmy Tiu they’re either Asian or they’ve met me through someone who is Asian.

Do you do any extracurriculars?

Intramural indoor/outdoor soccer, volleyball, and I’m part of the Asian Student’s Association.

What are three adjectives you’d use to describe yourself? 

I’d say initially I’m definitely shy; it takes me a while to open up to people, but I’m outgoing when I’m with my friends. I’m also funny, and I can laugh at myself.

What did you do for Halloween?

The day of Halloween, I was doing work and listening to music, but during Halloween weekend I went to apartment and dorm parties. 

What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve seen this year?

The other day I saw on Facebook two people were Google Maps. That was pretty good. One was point A and the other was point B and they had maps on their shirts. I thought that was really creative.

If you were a Halloween candy, what candy would you be?

Can I be an assortment?

You can be whatever you want.

Then I pick Skittles. You know, different flavors, a little bit of everything.

Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?

I’m going home. We have a really big family Thanksgiving, that’s how Filipinos do it. I always see my extended family, eat a lot of food, and have a good time.

Would a girl have to fit in with your family?

Definitely. My family’s really important to me and I value their opinion a lot, so if I introduce a girl to my family and they don’t like her, I don’t think the relationship would go well. My friends have to like her too; I need approval from everyone. Especially my friends back home. I’m still really close with a lot of people I’ve known since preschool and kindergarten, and I trust their judgment even more than I trust my own.

Who would be your ideal girl?

Definitely someone athletic and into sports – both watching and playing. Someone who lives an active life. I also like someone who’s talkative and can keep a conversation. An outgoing personality is also a good quality.

How about physically?

Someone who’s shorter than me is preferable. I don’t really have a type, though. I genuinely do look for personality more than anything physical.

What’s your idea of a perfect date?

I’d like to do something active and fun like bowling, mini golf, or laser tag. Then maybe afterwards we’d go to a restaurant and get something to eat. The restaurant of choice would probably be Red Lobster for some seafood.

What’s something no one knows about you?

During the summer of 2010, I got a henna tattoo when I was vacationing in the Philippines. The tattoo got infected and became a permanent tattoo, so now I have a tattoo of a dragon on my right arm. I like to mess around with people and say either I’m in a gang or it’s a fantastic birth mark and a lot of people believe me.

Do you go to the Philippines a lot?

I’ve been a few times, maybe four or five. Not too often. I go because I have family over there.

Can you speak Tagalog?

When I was younger, my parents would speak in Tagalog to me I would answer back in English so I’ve never picked up the dialect. I can understand it, so when I hear people speaking I automatically know what they’re talking about, but I don’t have a vocabulary large enough to answer. So I’m basically half-fluent.

What’s your favorite…

Food: Filipino food or Philly cheese steaks.

Baked good: red velvet cupcake.

Book: Green Eggs and Ham because when I was younger I memorized the book and my parents thought I could read. They only figured out I couldn’t when I recited the book and had it upside down.  

Childhood memory: going to the Philippines. The first time I went, I was in kindergarten and I went every two years. I’d say those are probably the best memories because I get to see family and when we’re over there we’re treated like royalty. Everyone wants to take us out, show us around, give us food, and catch up on birthday and Christmas presents. Plus, I always gain a different view of the world. As I grew up, I saw a different side of the Philippines in general. It’s kind of like going on habitat trip in that it’s really eye opening. When I was a child I would just be focused on seeing my family, but now I also see poverty and politics. Going to the Philippines always brings something different to the table.

Memory at Villanova: I have a lot of favorite memories at Villanova. I loved the Beaumont, Texas spring break trip last year as well as the retreats…I’ve met a lot of people through Escape and Search.

TV show: All time? I have to go with Barney. But right now I like Burn Notice.

Music type:  I like a lot of R&B pop music, and a lot of mainstream music on the radio. In my free time I like to listen to music that has more emotion or feeling behind it. Not just party music, but something that kind of has a message behind it.

Youtube video: I like listening to covers and mashups of songs out now. It’s hard enough to make a song but it’s even harder to make it better or create a mashup with multiple songs.

Concert you’eve ever been to? I haven’t been to many, but the first concert I went to was America’s Best Dance Crew in Atlantic City my junior year in high school and it was probably the best concert because the dancing was really impressive and a lot of the stuff they do on stage was something I’d never be able to do, but always wanted to learn how to do.

Do you like dancing?

Yeah, I’m not good at dancing but I like to make a fool out of myself once in a while.

What would be your go-to karaoke song?

It was YMCA at a point when I was younger, because Filipinos love to sing karaoke. It’s a big thing; my parents have a karaoke mic to plug into the TV and everything. That was my go-to song, but I’m not sure about it now. I haven’t done karaoke recently.

We should fix that.

During Thanksgiving break I’ll bring back the system and we’ll solve the mystery.