Almost anyone on campus can tell you that Avanthi Chen ’25 is one of the friendliest people you could hope to run into. Chen sat down with The Argus and recounted some of the experiences that solidified this reputation over the last three years.
The Argus: Why do you think you were nominated for WesCeleb?
Avanthi Chen: Coming into senior year, I realized I know this place well [from] moving around the same spaces with [more] confidence, knowing the ins and outs, and knowing people. I’m not sure.
A: I think part of it is that your name is synonymous with having someone to turn to for support around here. How do you think you got that reputation?
AC: It [might be] the nature of my campus jobs. A lot of them are [related to] peer advising or like peer education—basically [roles] trying to communicate information to [different] students. So maybe it’s that.
A: That’s a good guess. For as long as I can remember, you’ve been working with WesWell as a Sexual Violence Prevention intern. How did you get involved with that office?
AC: I applied [for that job at the Office of Support, Healing, Activism, and Prevention Education (SHAPE)] on Handshake during [Spring 2022], because it looked really interesting. I had thought about sexual violence prevention education in the school setting because of a club I ran in high school. I just ended up applying, and I met [then-SHAPE Director] Johanna DeBari [who] ended up being an early mentor for me. I really [connected with] her, and I feel like that has [informed] how I have chosen my activities at Wesleyan. I meet someone, and I’m like, “Whoa, you’re lovely!” Then, I’ll join that club, or keep going with that job, and it’s worked out so far.
I really enjoyed working with Johanna, and then when she left, I saw the office go through a lot of change. SHAPE got absorbed [into] WesWell, and I met [Associate Director for Sexual Violence Prevention] Amanda Carrington, and it’s been so awesome working with her too. It has been an interesting learning experience for me to see what it means for University offices to recombine, change shape, and figure out who they are and what they do for the community.
A: What have you taken away from your time working in that role so far?
AC: I’ve learned it’s surprisingly hard to reach different people on campus. We’re a really small school, [but] it’s really difficult to create new ways of connecting with different demographics and different groups.
Also, with mental health, stress, and wellness, it’s difficult to get people to be proactive about that sort of thing in their own lives, especially students, especially here. There’s a lot of good staff [on campus] that can spell out every single resource, give all of the information, and be there for students when they [need] them. But [students] are gonna do what they’re gonna do. They’re gonna be on their grind, and all you can do sometimes is be a clear, visible resource. Now, there’s a really wonderful team of WesWell interns this semester [being that resource] that I’m excited about.
A: Have you found any particular strategy towards prioritizing self-care and centering your well-being that’s worked for you?
AC: I think the thing that has helped me the most is working under capacity. This semester is the first time I’ve [had] seven [activities] for the “rule of seven,” and I feel good about that. But truly [my strategy is] doing less. Nothing beats doing less. Absolutely nothing beats doing less. This year, I’m excited about all these different things, but then I have to [remind] myself, nothing is better than not having class.
I really admire a lot of people on this campus for all that they do, but I also admire the ability to be honest with yourself about what you can take on. There’s so many ways to enjoy the whole spread of what Wesleyan has to offer without being a board member [of a club], or getting the minor, or getting the certificate. You can major in one thing and take classes in every single department here. And that is so awesome.
A: You have famously been both a rockstar [Orientation Leader (OL)] and an incredible [Academic Peer Advisor]. What did you take away from your time doing those roles?
AC: I had a really anxious orientation. I mean, who didn’t? My first year was so weird and [everything] was so new. This [might] sound cliché, but it’s true. Being one friendly face feels really good and seeing one friendly face feels really good. I loved being an OL. I had a great [OL partner] and a great group.
Being a peer advisor feels so weird because I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t think I ever will. And yet, people ask me questions, and a lot of the time I can answer them, which is so crazy.
A: Let’s pivot from your work life, what drew you to the history major?
AC: I liked the classes that I was taking [in the history department]. I was the most comfortable in [those]. I was the most excited about the questions we were asking [in those classes]. I felt secure in history classes, in a way that I didn’t in some of the other social sciences. I won’t say why, because I don’t want to spread more social science hate. I have respect for all the disciplines.
I just love old stuff. Some of my favorite moments have been coming across something handwritten, like something someone wrote, [or an old] photograph, and just feeling like humanity is so beautiful. It was really emotional for me to [find and] open old copies of The Hermes and The Ankh in the [University Organizing Center]. [Recognizing people before me] like, “Wow, you were in this room on this campus, and you were recognizing injustice in your community and doing something about it because you love your community.” That made me care about Wesleyan in a way that I had not before. So that’s all to say, history is the best major.
A: Have you thought about what legacy you might leave behind at Wesleyan when you graduate?
AC: I think [when I got to Wesleyan], our year experienced trying to bridge the gap between what Wesleyan’s community and campus looked like before [COVID-19], and what things were like coming out of the pandemic. So much of campus life was not [quite] lost, but the generations hadn’t been able to pass down certain information. People have never heard of The Ankh or SHADES [at the time]. With both of [those] clubs, I want to give them legs again, set them up to be continued. My hope is that [future] students will continue looking back and [seeing] how students here have always asked more of the administration and of community members, and [I hope] they continue to do that in different ways.
A: If you could give any advice to first-year Avanthi, what would it be?
AC: Yo, chill.
A: Great advice. Finally, if you could only eat at one campus dining spot for the rest of your time at Wesleyan, which would you choose?
AC: Can I say Pi [Cafe]?
A: Of course, you can.
AC: I’ll say Pi because I like being in that space. The ambiance is incredible.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Sulan Bailey can be reached at sa******@******an.edu.
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