Since the pandemic prevented the swim unit from being incorporated into the curriculum last year, practically every student at NASH began the year with their own speculations about their potential return to the pool. However, with the first quarter behind them, students who conquered the swim unit are able to provide insight and advice to help their peers. 

Like most students, senior Evan Walters was skeptical about the idea of jumping into a pool during the school day. 

“I was kind of dreading it, honestly. The idea of jumping into a cold pool was unsavory to me,” he said. 

Another student who asked to remain anonymous stated that he initially thought that “it was going to be tough, and that I was going to feel nasty for the rest of the day.”

Other students also have fears of changing into a bathing suit, getting their hair wet, and feeling physically exhausted. However, one senior found out that she had the most fun when she was focusing on having fun and making the most of every moment in the pool. 

“Just try to have fun with it, and don’t take it too seriously,” said the student, who also asked to remain anonymous. “If you get wrapped up in the fact that you may have wet hair or it’s weird to be in a bathing suit, you won’t enjoy yourself at all.”

Additionally, the swim unit provides students with an extremely unique experience that is surprisingly fun to the majority of most students. The curriculum includes games that involve dumping water into other boats in an attempt to be the last boat floating. 

“Rowing was surprisingly enjoyable, especially when we played games like Battleship,” Walters added. ” I don’t think I could name another class where I could get away with pouring buckets of water on people.”

Furthermore, the rowing unit is based upon the Pennsylvania Boating Handbook. The curriculum prepares students who want to receive a boating license and focuses on ensuring safety in the water. Many students argue that although the swim unit is informative, it also tends to be more enjoyable than some of the other gym units. 

“I enjoyed swimming because badminton is the absolute worst, you get more time to change for the pool, and being in a boat is a cool thing to complain about,” said senior Sara Weller. 

It is imperative that students not only prepare for a class in the pool but also to prepare for academic success following swim days. Although some students enjoy their time in the water, they warn that this particular unit can leave you physically and mentally exhausted. 

“Make sure that you study hard for tests that you have after swimming days. Swimming can leave you mentally tired and out of your game afterwards, so hit the books to keep your focus,” Walters advised. 

By the end of the unit, students were surprised by how much they enjoyed their time in the water. One senior simply stated, “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

Weller said, in hindsight, “I wish I would have gone for it earlier, because that was always more fun.” 

Most importantly, Walters emphasized that swimming is an important part of students’ lives. Although not everything about the swim unit is ideal, that does not diminish the unit’s application to reality. 

“In retrospect, swimming was surprisingly enjoyable,” he said. “Sure, the cold pool part of it is still unfavorable, but the activities that we partake in swimming are unique and can be applied to real life.”