Tess Booth: LBHS Senior of the Month

Born and raised in Laguna Beach, Tess Booth is a true local with deep family roots — specifically of the surfing and philanthropic variety. Together, with her family, the Booths founded the cheeky clothing brand 4SOCIETEE, which creates graphic fashion and surf tees, donating proceeds to charities like the Downtown Women’s Center and the Laguna Food Pantry.

After graduating this May from Laguna Beach High School, Tess hopes to study sociology and environmental studies at her dream school, Reeds College in Portland, Oregon. But until then, you’ll find the star athlete enjoying the last few months of her high school experience hiking Laguna’s canyons and surfing the waves of Brooks Street Beach. Indeed, her devotedness and talent in surfing has brought about one of her proudest accomplishments: winning the 2019-20 Under 18 Women’s Western Surfing Championship.

Besides surfing, Tess occupies herself with other interests such as reading, playing piano, and participating in climate change activism. 

Here, Tess reflects on how the Coronavirus has affected her senior year...

How has this year been different as a result of COVID?

My senior year has definitely been challenging. Over my entire four years at Laguna Beach High, I have never been more busy, stressed, or overwhelmed. Constantly juggling college applications, standardized tests (which, thankfully, most colleges have dropped), my job, and around seven hours of Zoom school each day, I feel depleted once I have finished everything. 

How has the pandemic changed your future plans/social life/activities?

The pandemic has allowed me to see outside my own bubble while still being trapped inside a bubble. My redefined social life consists of daily FaceTime calls, socially distanced breakfasts, and no parties or gatherings. Surprisingly, I have had ample time to read, diving into novels written by Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. I’ve taken on new activities, practiced old ones, and managed to rewatch an entire Netflix show in three weeks!

What will you take away from this time? 

The pandemic has forced me to adapt. When it first hit, my family decided to follow state regulations and completely quarantine ourselves at home. This meant no surfing for two months! While that was difficult, it also made room for new interests like reading and hiking. 

The pandemic has reshaped my life and made me more grateful for time with family, but it has also highlighted the suffering that goes on in my own country.

The pandemic has unearthed many social problems that must be addressed such as poverty, racial injustices, economic instability, fake news, and intolerance to anyone who is different. As I prepare to enter the real world, I feel more informed than I’ve ever been and more conscious of what steps need to be taken.