Personal Experience: My Experience Of Learning How To Swim

Whenever I ponder on my experience learning how to swim, I️ am reminded that persistence is essential in almost everything. My odd venture began when I almost drowned in the ocean. My near-death was because, even though I was already eight-years-old, I had yet learned how to swim. Thus, my mother insisted that I take swimming lessons. My experience learning how to swim has taught me to make a habit of seeing things through completely and being persistent in all endeavors.

Throughout most of my younger years, I attempted to stay out of the ocean when at the beach due to my fear of deep water. Of course, the time when I felt a boost of confidence to enter the ocean without an adult, I was hit by an enormous wave which pushed me underwater for

Hands shaking and heart racing, I arrived early to the community pool that day. No one else had arrived, so I sat poolside and waited. As the other students ambled in, I noticed the age difference between them and me, which was highly humiliating. However, once the affable instructor, Miss Sarah, arrived, I felt more relaxed and self-assured. My tranquility soon faded, though, as Miss Sarah's first approach was, since I was undoubtedly the oldest student, to force me to jump into the deep end of the pool with only floaties for support. This incident did not make me especially pleased with Miss Sarah but allowed me to be first to learn how to doggy

To add to my nerves, Miss Sarah surprised us with the fact that our parents had been invited to watch the test. Ineffectively wishing for them not to show up, my parents walked in and sat in the first row. Due to my unfaltering "luck," my name was the first called for the test. Those still unable to dive were able to opt for a shorter test; however, I was insistent on earning my grade. The intensity of the freestyle was daunting, but I executed it with ease. As I did before my freestyle, I took multiple deep breaths before the even more intimidating backstroke. Hitting my head or my hand on the concrete was a concern because I was swimming backwards; nonetheless, injuries were, fortunately, not an issue. A sight that I can clearly remember is the flash of my mother's disposable camera as I exited the pool with a smile on my face. I passed the class, but, looking back on my learning how to swim today, I do not understand why I was ever so