Lillian has tackled her first swimming lesson! Find out how it went and her top tips on what to pack for every swimmer's first lesson...

What do I need to pack?

If I was going to go for it I decided I needed to be prepared (all the gear and no idea scenario!) So chatting to various swimmers I came up with a packing list….

• Swimwear (nothing too sporty or too revealing. Needs to be comfortable!) - This I decided would be best if I put this on before I left home – less time to change and feel awkward in the changing rooms. Though must remember to pack underwear to change in afterwards!
• Cap and Goggles - To keep my hair out of my face (which could be distracting) and to keep water out of my eyes!
• Trolley Coin - This is a must! This was a good reminder from a colleague. I never carry change so to avoid the hassle of hunting for a £1 coin to put in the lockers I brought my trolley coin instead!
• Swimbag - I don’t really own one of these. However, looking through my wardrobe I found a waterproof gym bag with a separate compartment for shoes. (always handy as I never know where to put them.)
• Bottle of water - I know I’ll be swimming in it – but I can imagine it is thirsty work!
• Hairbrush and Chlorine Shampoo - I always feel its best to get the tangles out when your hair is wet! As the ends of my hair are colour treated, I thought it best to pack some chlorine shampoo to make sure my hair stays in tip top condition for the big day! (N.B. I would always wash my hair after removing my swimsuit though.)
• Plastic Bag - Just in case I did not know what to do with my wet suit!

I was all packed and ready to jump into my first lesson.

The First Lesson

This was the worst part. The past memories came flooding back to me - the feeling of panic and mouthfuls of water. Speaking to my family and friends, I had really built this up in my head (probably more than I should have) and I even welled up just before the class. I was really nervous! My fiancée came with me for moral support and sat in the viewing area. Knowing he was there and could swim no problem, I knew there was someone there who could save me if I did drown!

I was really nervous!

 

Sitting on the side of the pool waiting for my class I chatted to two of my classmates – who by the sounds of it struggled with swimming just as much as I did. Then it was time to start... My instructor put me at ease straight away. Before I even got in the pool, she asked me my previous swimming experience. She also advised me that the pool went from 1.2m to 1.5m and our lessons are only in the shallow end. If I needed to stop swimming I could still touch the floor.  When I finished my first lesson I was so relieved that I didn't drown! I'm interested to see what we're doing next week.