Hi Club Swim! Get excited because it’s finally meet week!! Last year was our very first home meet ever, and we’re back at it again this weekend! This year, Brown and UVM are coming up to swim against us, and of course, we’ll have pizza after! (I’m kind of excited for the swimming, really excited for the pizza.)

This term has been a little different for me because I’m off but still on campus doing research. A lot of my fellow ‘19s are off campus (shout out to Sarah for coming up from DC three times this term though), but I’m keeping myself busy by doing a little more on club swim—I’m social chair (even though Campbell still does a lot of the work, thanks Campbell), and I was in charge of the gear. But one thing hasn’t changed for me this term, and it’s how pumped I am for our meets.

Meet weekends are always my favorites of the term because I get to spend so much time hanging out with club swim. I really love away meets because we get to spend two hours in the car both ways jamming out to the playlist Sarah and I made our freshman year (shameless plug for Club Swim 15F on Spotify – still the reigning and undisputed best playlist of club swim) and telling secrets. The first club swim meet I went to freshman fall was definitely a huge part of why I stuck with the team and have come to love it so much. After getting back to campus, we spent hours in the empty Hop, eating cake for Campbell’s birthday and getting way too involved in each other’s love lives (check out Campbell AND Sarah’s favorite Club Swim and Dartmouth memories on their Swimmer of the Week posts—I’m not alone here; it was the best). I think my friendships with my teammates really started then, and those friendships are the reason I still look forward to meets so much every term.

The meet coming up this weekend will be a little different because it’s a home meet. As much as I love away meets, there’s something really exciting and fun about getting to compete in our own pool. Plus, none of us will end up driving the wrong way for almost two hours and end up 104 miles away!

I have to give credit to the people on leadership who make this meet happen, but especially Kimmy, not only for being ambitious enough to think this up but also for successfully pulling it off last year, despite the touchpads suddenly not working day-of and having to scramble to find timers and manually put in results, all while coaching us and giving us feedback on our races. She’s given so much to club swim, and this annual home meet will be a great way for her legacy to live on after she graduates in the spring (if we can make it happen without her).

Whether they’re away or at home, club swim meets have given me some of my favorite memories of Dartmouth. Whether it’s spontaneously spending an hour at Yankee Candle on our way home or witnessing a fight break out between some high schoolers at a Five Guys, spending the day with some of my favorite people is always a good time. I can’t wait for the meet this weekend and all the ones yet to come.

Love,

Thuy-Vy

PS: come by the pool this Saturday at 10:30am if you wanna get in on the fun 🙂