Northwestern University Athletics
Getting to Know: Tessa Haldes
2/25/2016 3:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
As the careers for the Northwestern women's basketball seniors come to an end, NUSports.com sat down with each senior to reflect on her time as a student-athlete. In this edition, NUSports spoke with Tessa Haldes.
Favorite Northwestern Memory: My favorite Northwestern memories are the late nights I spent hanging out with my friends in the dorms, just staying up late and talking about anything.
Favorite Game Memory: My favorite game memory is probably from my freshman year when my entire family (including my siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins) came to Evanston to see us play. They made a sign for me out of the popcorn boxes and were the loudest people in the gym.
What legacy do you want leave at Northwestern: I want to leave a legacy of compassion and inclusion. My teammates all know that I really care about each of them because I made an effort to show that every day. I hope that they continue to support each other and not leave anyone behind.
If you could do your college career all over again, would you change anything?: Absolutely not, I have grown so much in the four years that I have been here and every experience, both good and bad, has shaped me to be the person that I am today.
What is one thing you wish you could have told your freshman self?: Everyone talks about how fast it flies by but you don't realize it yourself until its nearing the end. I knew this going in but senior year still caught me by surprise. I would tell myself to really enjoy every moment so that when I leave Northwestern I know that I have accomplished everything that I set out to do.
What was the biggest surprise of your four-year career at Northwestern?: My biggest surprise was how much I missed my family and how often I went home. Originally, I had wanted to go to school somewhere further away but I am so glad I stayed close to home and it has been amazing having my family at the games supporting us.
What are your plans after college?: I want to go play basketball in Greece. After that I might try to use my electrical engineering degree to help save the world or I might follow my dreams of being a firefighter. Either way, I want to do something impactful.
How have your experiences at Northwestern shaped you as a person and an athlete?: I have learned so much throughout my four years and every experience has shaped who I am today. My biggest takeaway is to be unashamedly myself.
Favorite Northwestern Memory: My favorite Northwestern memories are the late nights I spent hanging out with my friends in the dorms, just staying up late and talking about anything.
Favorite Game Memory: My favorite game memory is probably from my freshman year when my entire family (including my siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins) came to Evanston to see us play. They made a sign for me out of the popcorn boxes and were the loudest people in the gym.
What legacy do you want leave at Northwestern: I want to leave a legacy of compassion and inclusion. My teammates all know that I really care about each of them because I made an effort to show that every day. I hope that they continue to support each other and not leave anyone behind.
If you could do your college career all over again, would you change anything?: Absolutely not, I have grown so much in the four years that I have been here and every experience, both good and bad, has shaped me to be the person that I am today.
What is one thing you wish you could have told your freshman self?: Everyone talks about how fast it flies by but you don't realize it yourself until its nearing the end. I knew this going in but senior year still caught me by surprise. I would tell myself to really enjoy every moment so that when I leave Northwestern I know that I have accomplished everything that I set out to do.
What was the biggest surprise of your four-year career at Northwestern?: My biggest surprise was how much I missed my family and how often I went home. Originally, I had wanted to go to school somewhere further away but I am so glad I stayed close to home and it has been amazing having my family at the games supporting us.
What are your plans after college?: I want to go play basketball in Greece. After that I might try to use my electrical engineering degree to help save the world or I might follow my dreams of being a firefighter. Either way, I want to do something impactful.
How have your experiences at Northwestern shaped you as a person and an athlete?: I have learned so much throughout my four years and every experience has shaped who I am today. My biggest takeaway is to be unashamedly myself.
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