You may know her from her unbridled energy on stage, her ever-present smile, or perhaps from her many successfully planned campus events. Krystal Peña ’24 is perhaps the epitome of a student celebrity, participating in activities ranging from Latin and ballroom dance clubs to a writing workshop. Intrigued by her many interests and constant involvement on campus, The Argus spoke with Peña about dance, academic confidence, getting out of her comfort zone and, most importantly, how she manages to balance 25 extracurricular activities in her life. schedule.
Argus: Okay, let’s start simple. Why do you think you were nominated for WesCeleb?
Crystal Pena: First of all, I was talking to one of my friends a couple of days ago about how being a WesCeleb is a low-key item on my bucket list, so maybe he or the universe has heard my prayers. But either way, I feel very involved on campus. I participate in a lot of extracurricular activities, and a lot of really noticeable ones. When you perform, it’s easier for people to see who you are. I also think that the social world of my extracurricular activities is very different, so I guess you could say that makes me more “popular” or at least have a wider circle of friends.
TO: You mentioned that you are involved in many extracurricular activities. Can we get a summary?
KP: I am the director of the Latin American and Ballroom Dance Club and dance with Fusion. I am also part of WesQuisqueya, a Dominican student organization on campus, and manage social media for them. I have also been a tutor in the writing workshop since my sophomore year. I am also a leading authority on West African dance. I think that’s it.
TO: You have a meager resume there. Do you go to school?
KP: Sometimes. I have an MB&B (molecular biology and biochemistry) and education double major and minor in dance.
TO: Obviously, the rule of seven does not apply to you. What attracted you to these areas of study, especially considering how different they are from each other?
KP: I think MB&B was kind of inspired by some of the pressure on pre-med because it’s a very good specialty if you go that route because all the requirements are pretty much built into the specialty. But also, I don’t feel like I got the best science education in high school, so I was just really interested in learning about science at an institution that actually has high-quality science education. Even though I am no longer in the medical profession, I am still very happy about this decision; As an MB&B major, I learned a lot that I never would have known.
Once I decided that I didn’t want to do pre-med, I looked at other options, and it just so happened that I had already completed many of the requirements for educational studies because they are so interdisciplinary, and so I decided to explore that path. and I ended up really, really liking it. And lastly, dance is very important to me because I went to a performing arts high school, so I always loved dance, but I always liked the musical theater aspect more. So it was really, really cool to just focus on dance in college without really considering the other aspects of theater. Before college, I had never taken a serious dance class because I simply didn’t have the resources to take classes repeatedly, so it was really great to have a consistent dance class on campus. And then I said, “Okay, let’s do a minor.” Why not?’
TO: Incredible. In your many academic adventures here, were there any classes or professors that really shaped your Wesleyan experience?
KP: I always say this, but the introductory biography (Principles of Biology I, BIOL181) with Dr. Murolo. It was such a turning point for me. I entered college very confident, having been valedictorian of my high school. Little did I realize that I was completely unprepared for the rigors of college. It was a big shock and I think I had too much confidence considering my science background in high school wasn’t even very good. I remember my first exam in biology – I got a C in it. At that time, I had never seen a three in my life. I was distracted. I thought: “Okay, I can’t do anything, I’m quitting my studies.” After that, I had a meeting with my professor and she gave me a lot of strategies on how to do better. She also firmly believed that I could come back from the three, and that was very powerful for me. I feel like it was because of her that I was able to overcome the impostor syndrome that sometimes occurs in college.
TO: What about your extracurricular activities? How did you grow and shape these spaces?
KP: Certainly. When I joined Fusion it was amazing; auditioning was one of the best decisions I made. I have a whole new circle of friends and it’s really great. It’s also really nice to have a stable environment where you can train and rehearse as a dancer and continue to work on hip-hop, a style I’ve long since left behind. It’s a very safe space where everyone has completely different dance experiences and different qualities of movement. It’s amazing to see all these different styles being celebrated. It also really helped me discover myself as a choreographer.
TO: Amazing. What about Latin and ballroom dancing?
KP: This is my child. The club has gone through so many changes since I was in school. It went completely extinct during COVID and I was one of the people who helped bring it back. We completely changed the structure of the classes and gave students the opportunity to teach, which was a great way to interact with other dancers on campus and was very popular with people. From a non-existent team our freshman year, our classes are now filled to capacity every week. We’ve left the La Casa common room and are now in a real studio. We also have a performance team. I’m so proud of how far we’ve been able to take the club.
TO: You mentioned all these classes and organizations that you have invested so much time and love into. How do you want to be remembered on campus now that you’re graduating in the spring?
KP: Wow, that’s deep. I want to be remembered as a very friendly face on campus. I have done a lot for many organizations, but more than physical achievements, I want my energy, positivity and enthusiasm to live on.
TO: Okay, don’t make me cry.
KP: Awww, you’ll miss me!
TO: Maybe.
KP: Oh, I also want to be remembered for throwing great parties. There were some really stupid ones too. The real ones remember Champagne Guise. The real ones also remember the Fauver catastrophe.
TO: Amen. Now that you’re all old, wise and seniors, do you have any advice for the younger kids on campus?
KP: Just take advantage of what is around you, while recognizing that not everything will be for you. There are a million things to do on campus, so try them out. And allow yourself to decide to leave some of them in the past. Just because you’ve attended a few club meetings doesn’t mean you need to keep going to that club. Cast a wide net, but don’t force yourself to do 500 things if you don’t like them all. Basically, try a lot of things to find the ones that really matter to you, because in a school with so many different things to do, there will be at least one that you like.
TO: Wow, a prophet for our times.
KP: I will try.
TO: What’s your favorite food on campus?
KP: I have three. First up, green beans from Wudang. They were with me from the very beginning. Secondly, clucking on the swing. This is very good. And finally, my classic “Red and Black” order: everything with bacon, egg and cheese, avocado, peanut butter and banana smoothie.
TO: The New Yorker comes out. Finally, what song reflects your life right now?
KP: “Roman Holiday” by Nicki Minaj.
TO: Oh, this is the one.
KP: Yeah.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Ahil Joondeph can be reached at ajoondeph@wesleyan.edu.