By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern
Why Are We Here?
As we college swimmers advance through our collegiate careers, it seems as though each year passes even quicker than the preceding one: the semesters seem to end sooner, the dual meets find a rapid and regular rhythm, and before we know it conference is around the corner, welcoming us with open arms.
It’s funny how the speed of time is emphasized during the winter break period. I’m not talking about the daily double practices that we endure, nor am I thinking of the unbearably cold climate in which some of us reside during this unfavorable time. I’m talking about the break, where those of us who are fortunate enough get to spend a limited amount of time at home.
For those of us who are at home, nothing makes us happier. Being surrounded by friends, family, and of course the brief break from the water is both a physical and psychological relief. In fact we’re so absorbed in our idyllic surrounding that when it’s time to go back to reality, we’re not sure if we’re ready.
As a junior, I experienced this for the first time this year. This isn’t to say that I no longer wish to swim, nor does it mean that I’ve thrown all of my goals out of the window; like hundreds of other collegiate swimmers I’m tired and I’m human.
When I realized this, I panicked. I had no idea how I was going to motivate myself for the month ahead, the hardest month of the season. All I wanted to do was recover from what had been one of the most successful yet challenging semesters so far. I raked my brain in an attempt to find something, anything to spark my will to get back to business, but I failed miserably one time after another. Little did I know that the answer had been with me the entire time.
At first, I thought it was my home that inspired me. But I was wrong. After my seven-hour flight and three-hour drive, I finally arrived in my hometown of Cardiff, Wales.
Exhausted due to overwhelming emotion and severe jet lag, I hauled my luggage through the front door and up the stairs to my room. That’s when I saw her from the corner of my eye, staring me down. I turned to face her. Although I couldn’t see past her speed socket mirrored goggles I could tell she had the drive to be better, to be someone. That was seven years ago. “Where did the time go?” I thought.
Photo Courtesy: Seren Jones
After briefly crashing on my bed, I started to unpack my things apathetically. It was meant to be a quick process, taking no longer than a few minutes. As I was throwing some shirts into my drawer I saw it lying there, lacking life but not lifeless. I retrieved it from the cluster of clothes that had almost drowned it. It may have been faded but it somehow remained flourished. It still had something left, indicating that it’s time wasn’t over.
Now that I’m in college, my room has transformed into an unwanted garage sale. A miscellany of unwanted stuff has gathered over the semester, resulting in a nonexistent chest of drawers. I decided to clean it up. In my world, a clean room means a clean mind. And it was then that I discovered it. It’s over-enthusiastically bright cover, and the almost unreadable scribbles that filled its insides. I opened it and read it, and was taken back to a time that I have little recollection of.
It said:
- March 8th, 2007
- Warm up: 5×200 swim, kick, pull, drill, swim
- Main set: 10×400 IM best effort on 6mins
- Warm down: 200 easy
I froze. Mind and body paralyzed. A sudden rush of emotion hit me and I found myself in hysterics. I’d found my answers, my spark. I remembered. I remembered why I wake up for morning practice; I remembered why I always swim hard in both sessions at the invitationals; I remembered why I’m a student-athlete; I remembered why I have my goals.
My 13-year-old self loved her speed socket mirrored goggles, but loved to race even more. She was fearless and hungry and always wanted more. In achieving her goals, she had worn the swim cap I discovered in my drawer for the majority of her club meets, ranging from regional meets to international meets.
She wore it with pride and faith that she was and would become as good as she wanted to be. The sets she swam, like the one I found in my log book, were quite frankly ridiculous and at times unbeneficial, but she swam them anyway. Everything she did, she did because she had her own desires. Her main one, was to be where I am now.
So there I sat. Rejuvenated and revived. I was reminded that I am where I am for a reason. There’s an even deeper purpose for occupying the label: “student-athlete.” The concept of time hit me once more.
If seven years had flown by, then these final three semesters will be unstoppable. What was the point in trying all these years only to come to a halt? I’m not saying that we’re going to enjoy every single practice and it’s never easy to get up for those morning sessions when it’s pitch black and freezing outside.
But why pause when we’ve made it this far? Whether you’re a keen freshman, a worn out senior, or in the awkward sophomore-junior phase, keep moving forward. If that means that you have to look back then by all means do so.
So next week, when your friends and family are still at home; the weather is colder; the days are shorter; the practices are longer; ask yourself “Why am I here?” Embrace your time as a student-athlete: appreciate the highs and the lows; the wins and the losses; and even the winter breaks, because in seven years time we’ll look back and think “Where did the time go?”
Seren Jones is a junior butterfly/backstroker from Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. The Metropolitan Conference individual champion grew up swimming for The City of Cardiff Swimming Club, and qualified for the Great Britain Olympic Trials in 2012.
Great article. As a former college swimmer I recall some of the same emotions about swimming when the sport seemed somewhat laborious to me. Now that I am 20 years removed from college swimming, I look back and realize those were some of the most fun and important years in my life, just as the author, Seren reflects on her younger self. Today as a masters swimmer I look forward to every opportunity to train, enjoy working out and using swimming for work/life balance. Swimming provides, health, friendship, balance, life lessons and more…. We are lucky to participate in such a rewarding activity!
After reading this article, I found myself getting nostalgic. Due to a swimming accident, I am paralyzed from the shoulders down. However, this has not deterred my passion for the sport/activity. I constantly look back and remember the pain, fatigue, mental stress, etc. that I experienced while working out. Then, I remember, my ability to push through this and continue on and experience the bliss of completing a set or finishing a race. I have been able to use everything I have learned through my swimming years and apply it to my current situation and push through the tough times and cherish the positive ones. I guess, the moral of the story that I am trying to get across is that, that pain you feel, the exhaustion you experience is temporary. However, the lessons and the work ethic that is taught will impact your life in ways that you never expect. So, enjoy the positive moments and embrace the negative ones more, because they are the ones that could become important. Thank you to the author for a truly well-written article.