ANNELISE BENSHOP & PEYTON OVSEK
Special to The Denisonian
Nicholas and Harrison DeChant ‘20 can be separated only by a freckle on Nicholas’ chin. Two freshmen who look very much alike are drawing the attention of Denisonians all over campus. One may think they are just the mirrored image of the same person, as they dress alike and finish each other’s sentences, but those are only two surface aspects to these Michigan natives.
Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a town which both Harrison and Nicholas hold dear in their hearts, these two have an old-time classic vibe about them. They are quick-witted and work to maximize their entertainment factor by bouncing off of one another.
While their brightly colored matching pants (Nicholas’ favorite pant wash is blackwatch tartan, while Harrison usually goes for pink slacks) are the first thing many might notice about the twins upon first glance, there’s a lot more to them. The most striking and heartwarming quality is their sense of family.
“We grew up as the only kids in our family, so you know we’re kind of like the historians for an older generation. People are always telling us little parts of information to remember, we feel like it’s our responsibility to get it right.”
Both very open to community, they have jumped right into Denison. Nicholas and Harrison share the same schedule both in and out of the classroom.
“We thought it best to take care of our shared interests together, and as time goes on we’ll start to branch off into our different interests” Harrison said. He explained that even though they appear to be similar, they have different future aspirations, which includes law and teaching.
When Nicholas and Harrison are not in class, watching Wes Anderson movies, or singing tenor in the Chamber Choir, they can be found on the courts playing tennis. This is also one of the only times that they can be seen wearing completely different outfits. Tennis is just another factor for the closeness that they feel for their family and community. Their dad taught them how to play from the very beginning and they have continued this aspect of their life into their college careers.
If Harrison and Nicholas are seen around, they don’t want people be afraid to stop for a chat. They never get tired of all of the twin questions, or any other kind of questions for that matter. They love to make people smile and laugh, and they’re quite good at it. The Denison community will be seeing much more of these two in the coming years.
Photo courtesy of Nichola and Harrison DeChant