NO IMPORT Corinne WEE Interview

Corinne Wee is a student and rower at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. As a novice rower, Wee had never been in a boat before joining the Harvard team in her first semester. After the bombings at the Boston Marathon this spring, Wee designed a “Row for Boston” T-shirt to unite university rowers in Boston and to raise money for the Boston Children’s Hospital.

WR: Why do you row?
CW: I love being on the water more than anything – there really is nothing quite like it. I also row with some of the most incredible people I know, and I look forward to spending a couple hours with my best friends every day.

WR: Who motivates you?
CW: My team and my coaches. I know that they are giving their 110%, and that pushes me to do better.

WR: What is your favourite food?
CW: Peanut butter

WR: Do you have a favourite website?
CW: Matador Network – it's an awesome network of people interested in travelling who share their stories and tips.

WR: How do you balance rowing and studies?
CW: It can be difficult because rowing is very time-consuming, but it definitely motivates me to set a schedule for myself everyday of what I need to get done to stay on top of my work. A lot of people think it has a negative impact on school, but for me, it made me a better student.

WR: How do you think rowing has impacted your overall experience?
CW: I was a walk-on, so I didn't come to college thinking I was going to row at all. It was something that I just kind of ran in to. I had planned on doing other things on campus, but what I gained definitely made it worth it. There is nothing like being on a sports team in college.

WR: What is your favourite rowing memory?
CW: My freshman year, the whole year, was one of my best memories. It started out that we didn't know how to row a boat at all. The first time we went all eight was a great memory and then when we finished pieces, being able to race and feel like we finally were real rowers, it was a great feeling.

WR: What was your schedule like?
CW: We practise about nine times a week. We do every day in the afternoon then a few additional morning practices. We might have weights, go for a row, or do some extra cardio. It's all scheduled around our class time, which is great.

WR: What was your hardest training session?
CW: I still think, and probably every rower will say this, but the hardest workouts are doing 2k tests. And, that should be the hardest workout. And, of course, all the preparation leading up to it.

WR: Why did you decide to try rowing?
CW: I really had no idea what it was all about, I'm from Michigan and it's not very big there. When I came to visit Harvard after I was admitted, I was in the hotel room with my mom and our windows overlooked the Charles River. I could see everyone rowing down the river and I thought it was a really interesting sport. Also when you come to Harvard, you know that there is a very long tradition of crew in general. But I had no idea you could walk on. I was at an activities fair and one of the assistant coaches was there. She had a very bubbly personality and was so inviting and welcoming to everyone that I wanted to try it.

WR: What made you stick with it?
CW: I had been an athlete in high school and I love being on a team. I played softball and basketball, it was something that I missed about high school.  There are definitely times when rowing can be really hard, especially with scheduling and school and everything, but I love being on the water so much. It’s the one time of my day that I can forget about everything else that is stressing me out. Just go to practice, row hard and everything kind of makes sense or falls into place.

WR: How did you get involved with Row for Boston?
CW: Working with different people involved in the rowing community has been such an amazing experience. That has really been the best part about Row for Boston – seeing rowers from around the U.S. rally behind a cause with an incredible amount of spirit, generosity, and compassion. When I began doodling the logo for Row for Boston, I had no idea how big of a project it would become. I had thought it might be cool if the different teams racing the Beanpot (the annual race between Boston University, Northeastern, Harvard, MIT and Boston College) wore a team T-shirt. Now, as it has spread across the nation, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be a part of the rowing community. All of the proceeds are going to Boston Children’s Hospital and I am still so grateful that everyone was willing to contribute so readily.