Crimson Characters: Skiing's Tess Wood
Editor's
Note:
The feature story below, on alpine skiing junior captain Tess Wood, is part of a year-long
commitment to highlight Harvard’s captains and other
intriguing student-athletes. For more question-and-answer features
click here and enjoy with us the
high-caliber student-athletes whom we have come to
enjoy.
What is your area
of concentration at Harvard?
Visual and environmental studies, with a focus in studio art; plus
a secondary concentration in environmental science and public
policy
How has it prepared for life when you
graduate?
The wide variety in classes that I will have taken by the time I
graduate, will leave me with a broader range of options and
developed interests. And with our world’s growing concern
about the state of our environment, how we function within it and
how policy will direct our future, hopefully pairing VES and ESPP
classes will pay off in getting me a career I enjoy. But, if all
else fails, I will probably be the only ski bum with a Harvard
degree.
How have your studies helped you athletically? How have
athletics helped you academically?
It’s one of those crazy things: When I have a lot of
commitments and tons to do, that’s when I am most productive.
However if I have a week to concentrate on one thing, I will
invariably watch seven movies and a whole season of “The
Office,” paint pictures for my wall,and do all of my
Christmas shopping. After all that, then I might get to the one
thing on my “to do list”. Ski team and academia help
balance my life, and the self-discipline from both, feed off of
each other. Once you can juggle academics and athletics, it’s
easy to fit everything else in.
You used to be a member of the Radcliffe crew, what
made you switch over to alpine skiing?
It was actually a tough decision. I was recruited for rowing and
spent my freshman year on the team, but somehow felt like it
wasn’t the right fit for me. It took me the entire school
year and half of the summer to realize that what really made me
happy and what I was most passionate about in high school --and
earlier-- was ski racing. My dad rowed at Harvard and had kind of
always encouraged me to do the same, but when talking to him about
the possibility of me leaving rowing, he told me something that
really hit home. He said that his time at Harvard was defined by
the great times he had through crew and that more important than me
rowing, was that I instead find what makes my college experience
the best it can be. That night I emailed ski coach Tim Mitchell, and I guess the rest is
history...
What was the first children’s novel you
read?
“Big Bug, Little Big”
What are some of the “must sees” of the
Portland area?
VooDoo Donuts, literally a hole-in-the-wall place open only late
night, offering (what else) donut creations, and they can even
perform marriage ceremonies. And the Columbia River Gorge,
that’s technically not in Portland, but it’s on my way
to the mountain. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
When you go home to Portland, what are some of the
first things you do?
Call up my old friends to see who can come ski with me and then I
make cookies— being at school sans kitchen makes me miss
baking. Well, that and the fact that cookie dough is my favorite
food group.
What’s the biggest difference between the East Coast and West
Coast?
Most visually noticeable: preppy versus trendy. Anyone from the
West Coast will tell you that there’s a huge difference in
overall vibe, but it’s hard to articulate.
As a skier, what are your thoughts on
snowboarding?
It’s great to have so many people out enjoying the
mountains— as long as they don’t get first tracks in my
powder, I’m happy.
What is your favorite mountain to go skiing down?
I have to go with my home mountain, Mt. Hood. Great memories, great
snow and my mom hooks me up with a free pass.
Tell us about your Thanksgiving. Where’d you go?
How was the food? What was the best dish?
The ski team went to Stowe, Vt. and Anna Shultz’s mom cooked
both the alpine and nordic teams a huge dinner. My personal
favorite was the three homemade pecan pies and if you ask my
teammates, I ate them all. Myself.
What is the best cereal ever created?
My grandmother’s homemade granola.
What has been you most memorable moment competing for
Harvard?
Not sure if this counts as “competing” but after
training during intercession last year, I came back to school with
an impressively massive bruise on my hip... I think the size of a
soccer ball and the color of concord grapes. It was memorable to
everyone who saw it.
Are you involved in any other activities on
campus?
Besides the bangin’ social scene? I read to preschoolers
through Harvard Emerging Literacy Project, teach middle schoolers
about saving the environment through EnviroEd., and with my
roommate, Tobey Duble, I’m an avid spectator of other Harvard
athletics.
You are stuck on a desert island forever. The only
thing you have with you is a television and a DVD player that just
happened to wash ashore with you. What five movies wash upon the
beach with your television and DVD player?
Cruel Intentions, Hot Dog, Green Street Hooligans, Summer Storm and
Twilight. Don’t judge until you’ve seen them all.
What is your fondest memory of
Christmas?
A few times my family used Christmas as a travel day to drive to
Montana and visit my grandparents. I came up with the “12
Hours of Christmas” where we opened a present every hour on
the hour...delayed gratification is sometimes fun?
What is your favorite sporting event to watch at
Harvard?
Anything that involves a “no tee OT” with the
men’s lacrosse team.
When you grow up you want to be...
Famous.
Which do you prefer, Oregon beaches or Massachusetts
beaches?
Both are pretty rainy and grey, but my allegiance is to Oregon.
The Blazers or the Mariners?
I don’t support teams from Seattle.
PC or Mac?
Macbook Air— it’s on the top of my wish list.
Lima beans or brussels sprouts?
Considering I have a somewhat vague, but scary, childhood memory of
lima beans I’m going to go with the latter.
If you could be known for one thing in the world, what
would it be?
Besides my stunning good looks? Definitely for some positive
contribution to the world— or at least to one person.
What would be more traumatic, losing your cell phone
for a week or not being able to use the Internet?
Probably my phone; I don’t know anyone’s number by
heart. Not even my mom’s.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done
on a set of skis?
I don’t know if this counts as crazy, but I did a skier cross
race up in Attitash last year with teammate Margie Thorp. It was super fun and we got
places 1-and-2, due in small part to her excellent coaching and my
“mad skillz.”
When it comes to
the "Civil War" game, where do your allegiances lie? Oregon or
Oregon State?
The Beavers- my friends back home
will have nothing to do with me if I say otherwise. It was a bummer
they couldn't get a win this year and make it to the Rose
Bowl.
