When i was a kid my mom made my sister and I take swimming lessons. I would always get ridiculously excited about a pool. "ITS A CHANCE TO GET IN THE WATER AND SWIM OMG OMG OMG!!!" i would think. I've never been as much of a natural swimmer as my sister and took what the teachers said quite literally. When one instructor told us how to do the basic kick where you keep your legs straighter in the water, instead of thrasing like little kids do, i grabbed a kickboard to hold onto and kept my legs board straight, no bend AT ALL. Needless to say it took me years to get from one side of the pool to the other, and back again. (disclaimer* i was also probably the youngest and I'm a very short person)

I remember one day we practiced bobbing up and down in the water, i'm not sure why, but apparently its a very vital skill to have in swimming. Once again we had to go to one side of the pool and back again. All bobbing....the whole way. The smart kids swam part of the way but I was determined, and naive. I lurched down, pushing with my little, stubby arms to get to the bottom of the pool and push back up with all my might. I ingested so much water that afternoon, its not even funny.