By Nicole Farina, Swimming World College Intern.
Thanksgiving break is a special time for college students everywhere. But, just like in most other cases, college swimmers are a special case here. Thanksgiving break for us is…well, it’s a majestic time of pure glory. You can finally breathe again without feeling like the weight of the world is on your eternally sore shoulders. Balancing the three S’s (school, swimming, and sleep) since the end of August takes a toll on you come mid-November.
This much appreciated holiday offers us swimmers a few days of freedom from our fast-paced lives. Here are a few reasons why Thanksgiving break is a swimmer’s heaven.
1. You get to eat real food, with absolutely no limitations.
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Sure, dining hall food is fine. It gets your through your long days, but still, there comes a point where enough is enough. It’s always a blessing anytime you travel home to get some nice, warm meals made out of love by your mom and dad. But when you come home for Thanksgiving break, you basically get the royal treatment. It’s no secret that swimmers are constantly hungry and love food more than is probably normal. So, on a Thursday evening towards the end of November, when you can indulge in as much food as your stomach can handle, with zero judgment from anyone, a true swimmer’s dream is realized.
2. You can finally relax for a few days.
Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia Ltd.
School is hard enough in and of itself. But add swimming to the mixture of it all, and you’ve got yourself a jam-packed schedule, regardless of your major. Life can get pretty tough throughout the semester, especially as it begins to wind down. It’s a relief knowing you’re able to come home to your family. When you haven’t had time to watch TV in three months, it’s great to head back to your roots, take a deep breath, and be with your family and friends who will listen to you complain about how tired and sore you are, and how you don’t know if you’ll survive the final stretch of the semester (spoiler alert, you will).
3. You need a mental break.
With all of this talk of relaxing, it’s usually thought of as physical phenomenon. But don’t forget, your mind needs a break, too. School can take a toll on you, but so can swimming. In a sport that’s so physically exhausting, we often overlook just how equally mentally exhausting it is as well. It’s so easy to beat ourselves up if we’re not racing well on the weekends, or if we feel like we’re in a funk of bad practices in the weekday afternoons. It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re in a constant school and swimming cycle that seems never ending. But, when you get home, remember to take it easy. Maybe a break is just what you need to get back on track in your training or racing. It’s key to stay positive in a time like this, since there’s still so much down the road: mid-season taper meet, training trip, conference meet, etc.
4. SLEEP.
Photo Courtesy: Kelly Lennon
The five letter word that is music to any swimmer’s ears. We don’t get enough of it when we’re at school. That’s for sure. There’s nothing like coming home for Thanksgiving break, eating until you fall into a food coma, and then passing out comfortably on your couch. Catching up on your sleep–whether it be at night or throughout multiple naps during the day–is crucial for your survival of the rest of the semester. Plus, you deserve it, you’ve been working hard!
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Samantha Bischoff
Great view of The Thanksgiving Holidays from a swimmers point of view I guess we who enjoy the swim meets are not aware {unless your a parent of course ] of all the hard work involved You explained it beautifully Lots of personal time taken away to accomplish what needs to be done Congratulations! Another great way of getting your view of your world across I understand it more now then ever Thank you