History and Traditions
WOODS, the College of Wooster's Outdoors Club, has existed as a student organization since 1993, and possibly even longer than that.
Originally, WOODS was called the College of Wooster Outdoors Club or COWOC for short. It has also sometimes been called the Outdoor Club at Wooster, Wooster Outing Club, Wooster Outdoors Society, or simply the Wooster Outdoors Club.
Our oldest record of the club comes from this archived webpage from February 1997. The page explains that for Spring Break, "in the past three years, members have enjoyed winter camping and snow-shoeing in Yellowstone, as well as backpacking in Big Bend and Guadalupe National Parks in Texas. The Club has also explored Gila National Forest in New Mexico." For fall break, "in the past four years, the group has ventured to either Dally Sods in West Virginia or to Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area in Virginia. Both areas are beautiful during the fall when the leaves are turning colors, and students always enjoy getting away from their busy campus life to the hills of Appalachia."
WOODS has always been about getting College of Wooster students into the outdoors. However, our activities have varied year by year. As WOODS is student run, the activities change according to student interest. In the 1990s, backpacking, winter camping, canoeing and rock climbing were prominent activities. In the early 2000s, backpacking and climbing became among the most important activities for the club. In the mid to late 2000s, climbing, hiking, mountain biking and boating were important. In the early 2010s, the club shifted towards a rock climbing, camping and hiking focus. Present day, most of WOODS' energy has been focused towards the break trips and local hikes. We're so excited for what is ahead!
Traditions
Whenever we visit Arches National Park in Utah, WOODSians take a shirtless photo under the famous Delicate Arch. Now there are quite a few photos of dirty, partially clothed college students under the landmark. Although this is a WOODS specific tradition, we once confused someone from France into thinking it was a common American tradition and he happily participated.
Whenever we visit Joshua Tree National Park in California, members of the club go to explore and conquer the Chasm of Doom. This scramble/climb/spelunking exploration of one of the huge granite formations is challenging and fun. Sometimes it is done at night by moonlight only.
Although not exactly a tradition, whenever we visit Foster Falls in Tennessee, someone inevitably swims in the pool under the 60 foot waterfall. This is usually in spite of chilly weather or even snow.
WOODS began to initiate members in 2006. The tradition of giving WOODS names to new members was established by Amber and Stella. People who have participated on at least one large trip or two smaller trips/activities are able to receive a WOODS name. Previously initiated members secretly convene to think of new names for the initiates. At the event, the initiate receives a name from an already named WOODSian. The newly welcomed WOODSian's face is painted with river mud, campfire ashes or whatever dirt we are camping on.
​
Emails sent to the WOODS listserv are always signed off with a few words or phrases about the outdoors (or the sender's thoughts). Example: "Cheers from Sarah.... old growth forest, Lowry dinners and slacklining." Why is this? It is because at some point the email listserv had become a bit overwhelmed with non-WOODS related emails. Some people complained that the listserv should only be for outdoors related emails. As a loophole, people kept emailing about non-outdoors-y topics but would always sign off with a few outdoors related phrases like "carabiner, multi-pitch, continental divide trail" and so technically the emails were still about the outdoors. To this day, WOODS emails, even those that are WOODS related, are always signed off with a list of adventuresome topics (or whatever crosses the author's mind).
Along with the WOODS name that members receive, some WOODSians are honored with additional titles. These titles go beyond the typical "president, vice president and treasurer" that you might find in other clubs (although we have those too). From MC Slackline to The Queen Mother (always held by a man) to Chief Chef to Captain of the Social Seas to Dinner Orchestra to the Harbinger of Verbosity, Eloquenticity and Debauchery, these titles are flexible and witty (or WE think they are) and continually being invented. Some relate to specific duties, while others are more symbolic.
The game "contact" is often played on long cross country road trips. Ask someone in WOODS to explain it. Other popular games are "My Herd" and Nick's "That trucker is your fictional husband" game.
​
There have been WOODS Proms, Scavenger Hunts, Treasure Hunts and Secret Santa exchanges (all gifts must be made from nature!) in the past, probably peaking in the mid 2000s.
​
In recent years WOODS has included an extensive scavenger hunt as part of long cars rides, as well as a mixtape exchange. Members work with their vans to try and acquire as many points as possible in search of the coveted bragging rights. Members may also choose to be part of a mixtape exchange, which are given anonymously and throughout a break trips members work together to find the maker of each mixed tape.
Some websites or documents that stand alone, but are interesting records of our history:
National Wildlife Federation report on WOODS and Bike Club's Alternative Transportation Bike Share Program from 2002.
An archive of our website, from 2004 to 2008 (you may need to highlight some of the text for it to appear against the background).
An archive of our website, from 1997 to 2003.