It’s time to pull out the goggles and cap again to find the victorious house. Will Andrews be able to hold onto first? Or will Langdon see victory? Whether you spend your 5am mornings staring at a blackline underwater or because it’s ‘part of the College Curriculum’, there is something to look forward to for everyone. Here are 7 tips to make your day so much better. 

Have a go  

 In every grade, there is always going to be that one kid that will win every single race (Daniel C I am looking at you). Honestly, they deserve it because of the number of hours that they put in and then not being able to win at a school carnival? But who is going to be second? Or third? Even if you come 10th, you earn 2 points for your house. Two points closer to your house winning. So, get in the pool at every possibility, it’s a minimum of 1 point each time in the bag for your house.  

I am going to let you on a little secret. Yes, FINA the organising body of swimming has made some rules but freestyle… the event is in the name. You can doggy paddle, walk, or splash to the other side of the pool, you are free to pick in what style you want to get to the other side. Last time I checked Mr Storie is not an undercover FINA Official…  

Swimming Caps are your best friend  

Yes, I know they are a pain to put on and it feels like all the silicone is squishing your brain smaller, the two minutes of pain are worth every millisecond. Literally. For those wanting to push themselves to compete at HZSA, the aerodynamics of wearing a swim cap can shave milliseconds off your time, which, in swimming, is a lot. For everyone else, swim caps will protect your hair from the chlorine in the water. The last thing anyone wants is to go home and have their hair feel thick and straw-like.  

When you swim without a swim cap, you will shed hair just like you do normally. All this hair will build and will get in someone else’s face and will stick to their face for the rest of the race. So, for the love of the person swimming after you, wear a swim cap.  

Bring two towels 

This rule is especially key to those who want to be in every race. You will want to dry off every time you exit the water. Unfortunately, towels don’t dry that quickly. By the end of the day, it will be wetter than you. Bringing a second towel allows you to have a dry towel for the end of the day. It also adds as a bonus cushioning between your back and the plastic hard chairs.  

Aquatic Centre Chips are the best  

Maybe chlorine is the secret ingredient in chips because any Aquatic Centre will sell chips and trust me, they are GOOD hot chips. And SOPAC is no different. Maybe not as good as the chips at Waves (could be a little biased here), but they will still make you want to go back for more, forgetting that you will have to explain to your mother why you did not eat your packed lunch.  

On second thought….Don’t eat chips before you get in the pool  

 Ok, I did just indeed say that you want to dig into those hot chips, however, if you know you will be diving into the water very soon maybe hold off for a few minutes. Even if you are ‘not going to try,’ there is something about laying on your front like you do in swimming, plus being in warm water, combined with hot chips. Let’s just say that the Year 12s are not going to be very happy with you when their final swimming carnival is cancelled because you threw up in the water and the pool is shut.  

Take a shower afterwards 

Chlorine is your worse enemy. Take a shower after your last time in the pool. Fresh water is your second-best friend, trust me. You do not want the feeling of being chlorinated for hours afterwards, it is not fun.  

Bring lots of food (or money for chips) 

For those who say swimming is not hard, firstly you are completely wrong, and second, it is perhaps the most energy-demanding wats for a human to get from one place to another. This means you are going to use a lot of energy. When you lose the energy you need food, significantly more food than you would normally eat. So, bring everything in your pantry or your bank account for those hot chips. Remember sharing is caring.