When it came time for college, Chavez had the opportunity to tour WVU with a friend who was a year ahead of her and she admits it was love at first sight. 

"It's not too far away, but it's not too close to home," she said. "I wanted to get out of my high school area and venture off and meet new people. 

"I loved all of the different activities that were offered to students like me, specifically the Carruth Center because I knew that coming here it might be something I would need. Another thing that drew me in was the first-year trips through Adventure WV and, when it came time, I did the Odyssey trip. I made a lot of friends before classes started, which really helped me adjust to college and West Virginia." 

Growing up with entrepreneurs in her family, she always knew she wanted to go into business and decided to also pick up a minor in finance. 

"I saw the way that everyone suffered and I saw that they felt like there was nowhere to go get help and commit," she said. "In high school, at the time, there wasn't much I could do. I knew coming to college, I could try to make a difference. 

"My goal was to create a safe and fun environment for people to get out of their dorm rooms or get out of their house and get away from their homework for an hour or so. Students can come to de-stress and do whatever they need to do. It's a non-commitment, no-fee club, so there's no stress for students to feel that they have to be there every Tuesday when we meet."

Unfortunately, it's no surprise that mental health concerns and challenges are on the rise. 

According to a recent survey, one in three college students experience anxiety and depression. 

"Honestly, there are a lot of students who just randomly throughout the week can't get out of bed or have no motivation," said Chavez. "They just need a day to themselves or need to know they're not alone." 

While there were already organizations and centers on campus providing mental health opportunities, Chavez created Clear the Stress so that students can come whenever they need to and they can be be around like-minded peers. 

"I knew coming here that there was a campus-wide center and other organizations," she said. "Personally, I also know what it's like to be in the position where I feel like I'm not struggling enough to seek actual health advice or schedule an appointment with a therapist. Therefore, I figured by making this club, it will give other students an opportunity to see that they're not the only ones that are struggling with that." 

Chavez is also teaming up with similar clubs to plan a WVU community event during the Fall 2023 semester. 

Clubs such as, Clear the Stress, Active Minds, The Self-Love Club, Psychology Club, want to welcome students, faculty and staff to a stress-free day of fun and food here on campus.

In the meantime, studying for finals, searching for an internship or interviewing for a full-time job after graduation, is no easy feat. If you are feeling overwhelmed or would like to talk to someone, please reach out to the Carruth Center today or to a peer. 

To learn more about the student organization or the upcoming event, please connect on Instagram @clear_the_stress.