By Emily Messina, Swimming World College Intern
After months of being extremely dedicated to a strict lifestyle, you deserve to go out, get involved, and have some fun experiences. There are many things you can do to stay in shape, set goals, and prepare for the next season. Or, you can also rest and allow your body to recover from months of hard training. However, it can also be exciting to try different things and add some new skills to your repertoire.
1. Make a Bold Change.
This might mean trying out a new hair color, getting that new piercing you wanted, or even splurging on a tattoo. This is the perfect time to experiment because hair dye won’t be ruined by chlorine and your piercings and tattoos will have time to heal effectively.
When the off season hits, you are presented with an opportunity to start exercising in any way that you please. You can take classes in the gym, try a new workout routine, or lift in a different manner. One of the best parts is that you can do it at the time that is most convenient for you.
2. Travel.
Photo Courtesy: Mary Margaret Deedrick
Free time! With available weekends comes a great opportunity to take a road trip or go visit some friends. You can spend time exploring the city or town around your campus or travel to a new place you have always wanted to explore. Make memories taking a journey with friends or enjoy a peaceful outing by yourself. It’s possible that you won’t know what to do with all of your newfound free time, so taking a road trip with friends is a exciting idea for your schedule and it’s sure to be something you’ll never forget.
3. Enjoy the Night Life.
Now that you aren’t truly committed to getting a set number of hours of sleep or trying to rest your legs, take the chance to spend time with your friends whether it be in the comfort of your home or out and about. Celebrate the end of a great season, hang out with non-swimmer friends, attend a concert, or treat yourself to a nice dinner off campus. Look for an on-campus event that interests you or discover something cool in the city.
4. Try a New Activity.
Photo Courtesy: Joe Cihak and Peter Duval
You can participate in activity with reckless disregard (well maybe not that carefree). But still, you can do things that may have been considered dangerous in season. You can go skiing, ice skating, or join a club sport. Try something different and new, it will keep you busy and might end up being a lot of fun! There are many opportunities to partake in that activity you might not necessarily have had the time or energy to do beforehand.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.