These last few weeks, I’ve gotten back into swimming. I’ve spent the last 11 years of my life on a competitive swim team, however due to the fact that I’m horrible at ice skating, I can no longer swim as well as I used to. This discouraged me from joining a team here at OSU, but I still wanted a place to swim laps because it’s something I genuinely enjoy. Especially these last two weeks in which I’ve have 2 midterms, it’s the perfect way for me to de-stress and clear my mind. So, I packed up my swim bag and went to the RPAC for the first time. Of course, I had no idea where I was going so I went to the front desk and asked where the pools were. The people working were friendly and immediately directed me to the bottom floor of the RPAC. I also found out that there is a place to rent a lock so that I can lock up my stuff while I swim.
Finally, I changed and got into the pool. The facility had kick boards, pull-buoys, and fins on the side for anyone to use. I grabbed one of each and headed over to my lane. There are two separate lap pools and one recreational pool, and, because there were only a few people there, I got my own lane. After about an hour and 2 miles worth of swimming. I got out and went over to the hot tub. Hot tubs are the best way to relax after a long swim and helps to reduce the tension in your muscles, so I was glad to see that OSU had one.
After that first day, I went back several times and slowly worked my way up to harder, more intense workouts. Just yesterday, I was able to get my 50 time below 40 seconds and swam a full 5K. This was the perfect way for me to get rid of my anxiousness before my calculus midterm. My favorite part about swimming is it is a mindful sport. When you’re in the water there are no other distractions. You only hear the rushing of the water, see the black line at the bottom of the pool, and focus on your breathing. While this sounds boring and claustrophobic to some people, it is relaxing and peaceful to those of us used to swimming.
My biggest takeaway from this experience is that it’s too easy to let go of what you love without realizing it. Swimming was always difficult and exhausting as a sport, so much so that I didn’t want to continue anymore after my injury. However, getting back in a pool has reminded me of all the things I love about swimming. I’m hoping to continue to go to the RPAC to swim at least twice a week. I predict that if I am able to keep up with this schedule, that I will see an improvement in my physical and mental health which is a goal that I believe everyone should strive for.