Pros and Cons of Swimming

I am going to start with the cons of swimming because there are more of them.

CONS:

--You wake up to be at practice at 5:30 and get to practice again right after school at 3pm. So basically we have two-a-days every single day.
--For all the time we put into the pool (twice a day plus 3 hours on Saturday practices) it's as much time as a part-time job. So for those on the team (like me) that also have a part-time job, there's just so much work time.
--You get very little sleep during the week. After night practice, which ends at 5:30, you have to eat and then do your homework which keep you up until about 11 or later. Then have to be up and at school by 5:30 again. Yay.
--Our sets are really hard. We generally do over 10,000 yards a day and our coach really likes to focus on sprinting (swimming your fastest).
--When we have really long sets, we don't get breaks. We don't get to sit out for a second and take a drink of water. It's go go go.
--Making the times for sets is extremely frustrating. In our sets, we have to do things like 10 200's on the 2:30. You have no idea how hard it is to make each and every one of those 200's on the 2:30. By the time you finish the first one, you're pushing of the wall to start the next one. It's horrible.
--We have our Saturday's consumed by meets. Saturday meets (also called invitationals) last pretty much all day. So we'll get to whatever high school's pool around 10 and then be home around 5 or 6. Then you're too tired to hang out afterwards so there goes another Saturday.
--THE WATER IS FREEZING. Our coach likes to keep the temp at 75 degrees or something. Which actually sounds decently warm, but if you aren't swimming fast enough to keep your blood pumping, you literally will shiver and your lips will turn blue. We don't get that pool heated.
--Our Tuesday meets out of town don't let us get home until around 10 or 11.
--We don't get to sit on the bench if it's not our turn like any other sport. We have to stand up and move around and cheer (which I guess also is a pro because it's nice to be cheered for).
--We don't get to not practice if we're sick. Whether it's a cold, or if you're throwing up, you have to be there. Unless you're dying, you better at least show up to practice.
--Our suits are always two sizes too small...it's the hardest thing to get on and even worse to get off.
--We're technically not allowed to shave during the season. Some girls do it anyway though.
--You don't get to choose your events; the coach chooses for you. Every freshman has to do the 500 at least once. So even if you suck at something, if you get put in it, there is no complaining.

PROS:
--We get the best parking spots in the lot considering we're there at 5:30
--We get to say we can do the hardest sport out there (because trust me, it is. Even football guys who have done swimming say that swimming is harder. So football guys, don't try and argue. You wouldn't last a week in swimming.)
--We get breakfast every morning before school made by the parents of girls on the swim team.
--We get our own locker room and breakfast room
--We get to eat all the time and not get fat because we're just working so hard in the pool.
--Kennedy is one of the top high school's for women's swimming in the city. We're undefeated at the moment.
--Everyone on the team is really close so we have a ton of fun together.
--We have 'swim parties' on the weekends where a member holds a party at their house for the swimmers and their parents and we eat food and hang out.
--We go on the Minnesota Trip right before school starts. We go to Minnesota for a weekend where we have a three hour practice, then eat, then go to Valleyfair. The next day we have another 3 hour practice, then go to Feed My Starving Children (an organization that helps feed kids in underdeveloped countries), go to an outdoor mall, then to Buca Di Peppos (spelling could be wrong but it's one of the best Italian restaurants out there). Then the last day we drive home (which we are using a charter bus the whole time).
--Although there are so many horrible things about it, it's a fun experience and it's nice having so many friends from the team. It sucks sometimes, but when it's good, it's so great.