Every swim class there are at least three students who come up with some reason to not participate. Common excuses consist of being “allergic to chlorine” or magically having “cramps” every day.

The typical Staples student dreads swim class. They trudge to the pool house muttering complaints to their neighbors. Whether it’s about the changing, the wet hair, or the cold waters, the pool is commonly filled with negative energy.

And then there’s me: strolling into the pool house, with my head held high, excited to crush everyone in water polo. I don’t need to worry about my hair because I wear a swim cap and am proud of it.

People may find it strange that I love swim class at Staples, but I learned you just need to go into it with a positive attitude. Think about it this way: instead of being stuck in a classroom, you get to play water polo and kayak. It may have taken me seventeen tries to get into the kayak for the first time, but it was worth all the bruises.

Nobody likes a complainer, so don’t let that be you. Get changed as fast as you can, put on your goggles with a smile and jump into the pool with enthusiasm. You’re going into the pool no matter what, so why not make it fun?

Don’t be embarrassed about how you look in the pool Yes, in the dead of winter, you may look paler than ever, but be confident in your speedo one-piece that you rock as you strut down to the pool. Embrace your swim cap that makes everyone look like eggs and the goggles Staples provides that are way too small for your eyes. Everyone else has to wear them too so there is no reason to be ashamed.

Take advantage of all the new additions swim classes now offer. We have kayaks, canoes and paddle boards. What other school can you practice your paddle boarding skills before you do it for real in the summer?

I promise, if you go in with the right mindset, you can have a great time.

And we all know you don’t actually have a valid excuse to not swim, so throw that pass away and let’s swim some laps.