Fariha Elahi (She/Her)
What’s one of your favourite UADS memories?
How long have you been debating for?
What year are you in and what are you studying?
Third year and I’m in English.
What’s one thing you’re incredibly passionate about?
Mental health advocacy!
1 year.
What led you to try debate for the first time?
I did debate while in grade 8 and had always wanted to return. I finally got the courage to try university debate this year and have loved it ever since!
What do you love most about UADS?
Definitely the community and the competitive aspect of the sport. Everyone is so kind and willing to help you, but people can be scary inside of rounds! Watching and competing against others is the best way to learn though.
We were at Pacific Cup in Vancouver and quite a few of us (more than 15 UADS debaters) were heading to a restaurant that we planned to go to. I realised last minute that I would be allergic to most of the food options there, and everyone immediately decided to look for other restaurants on the street without giving it a second thought. No one complained or made any comments, and everyone just kept talking and laughing around as if it was no big deal, despite many of the members being super excited for this restaurant. It was such a kind, subtle gesture that I think about often.
Using one word, what’s a topic you could forever debate about?
What’s a moment in your life that has stuck with you?
You’re held over the Darvaza gas crater and will only be safely released if you can sing all the lyrics to a song correctly. What is that song?
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new debaters?
Mothers.
Participate in the practice rounds as often as you can! It can be intimidating at first but it's the best way to learn.
“Evil” by Interpol.
What is a favourite quote of yours and who is it by?
“Violence against women implies not only an assault of the body, mind, or soul, but it also occurs when the conditions are being enabled to facilitate it and when the system – the state and the society, excuses it.” - Shalu Nigam
If your friends had to describe you using 3 words, those words would be…
Prone to injury.
Who is one person, living or deceased, that you’d have dinner with?
When I was 7, my shoe got stuck in a busy escalator in Italy and multiple adults fell on top of me until someone pressed the emergency stop button.
Sacheen Littlefeather.
