A Day in the Life........

This week's A Day in the Life is written by Katy Rysemus who is a Sophomore from Tacoma, WA swimming the Fly, Breast and IM events for the AquaBears.


Sophomore Katy Rysemus



5:30am. The dreaded sound of my alarm clock wakes me up for the new day ahead.  Leaving the warmth of my bed is probably the most difficult thing I will have to do all day.  Once I’m up and moving around I find my weight clothes, grab something to eat and am out the door to go pump some iron for an hour. I had not ever really lifted weights before I came here to UNC, but doing so has made a deep impact on my swimming career and I remind myself of this if I ever struggle with a new lift or a greater amount of weight. Knowing that this will make me better turns the pain into purpose.

     After an hour of lifting, I head off to the dining hall for breakfast so I can obtain some sustenance so I will be able to stay awake in my classes. My favorite meal is scrambled eggs, fruit, and a bowl of cereal or if I’m really hungry a Belgian waffle…yum! Once my stomach is happy, I’m off to start my day of classes. I have a break after my first class so I make the trek back to my apartment for a quick nap or I complete any unfinished homework (but naps are preferred). I make something, usually a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a granola bar, for lunch and am out the door once again for the remainder of my classes.

     Once my last class is over I quickly head over to Butler-Hancock for afternoon practice.  After we have done about umpteen million mini-jacks and what seems like hours of jogging in place, we jump in the pool for our daily dose of chlorine. Practice is pretty hard most days, both mentally and physically but being surrounded by your teammates who are going through the pain with you makes it a little easier to accomplish. Words of encouragement can often be heard echoing off of the pool walls and this is part of what makes our swim and dive team not just a team, but a family. We support each other in every endeavor. Once practice is over, it’s time for either an ice bath (brrrrrrrrrr) or ice bags that make us look like deformed creatures, but we wear them proudly.

     Next is dinner and homework. The best dinners are when the entire team takes up a table at the dining hall and everyone can tell who we are because of the overwhelming aroma of chlorine and the loud chatter. After dinner it’s time to hit the books. Since I am an English Secondary-Education major with a History minor, I typically have more reading than anything. Nothing like some Emerson or Thoreau to end the night (an easy put you to sleep)! As the night grows later and later, I can hear my bed softly calling my name, wishing for me to let all my worries go so I can start the next day fresh and happy.