There is no doubt that swimming, like any sport, has its own specialized vocabulary. But there are also some everyday words that have a completely different meaning to swimmers:

1)   SWIM CAP

What most people think it means: A silicone cap with flowers and a chin strap on it that your grandmother wears in the pool.

What swimmers think it means: A very trusted and necessary piece of swimming attire, with specific memories associated with each team cap, such as a hard set or incredible race tackled while wearing it.

2)   SWIMSUIT

What most people think it means: A purely fashionable item of summer clothing, the cuter or more colorful the better!

What swimmers think it means: Something worn for much of the waking hours, chosen with complete disregard for pattern, the tighter and more water dynamic the better!

3)   NAP

What most people think it means: A short and rare twenty-minute period of sleep, just to refresh.

What swimmers think it means: A sacred time of deep sleep, to be interrupted only when friends and family form a search party because they haven’t seen you all day, and even then, you’ll probably sleep through it.

4)   WINTER BREAK

What most people think it means: An awesome few weeks off from school where one is free to do whatever they want!

What swimmers think it means: A dreaded time of torture when swim coaches fill the swimmer’s vacation with strenuous three-hour practices and training trips.

5)   SHAVING

What most people think it means: An act of grooming to remove unwanted hair from your body.

What swimmers think it means: An extremely high risk and meticulous pre-meet ritual to remove every last hair from your body in order to possibly remove .005 seconds from your race time.

6)   TAPER

What most people think it means: A verb meaning to decrease or thin out over time.

What swimmers think it means: The single most glorious period of time, better than all holidays or birthdays combined, when you swim increasingly less in order to rest for a meet. See also: an excuse to get out of any and every physical activity or personal responsibility.

7)   BUTTERFLY

What most people think it means: A winged creature that is colorful, dainty, and beautiful.

What swimmers think it means: The most difficult, painful, and impressive stroke that causes most swimmers—except a select few—to tremble in fear.

8)   DRY LAND

What most people think it means: Any part of the earth that is not a body of water.

What swimmers think it means: A pre- or post-swim practice exercise regimen created to inflict additional demands of time and physicality on the swimmer.

9)   SLEEPING IN

What most people think it means: Waking up when your body feels naturally rested and revitalized, without the demands of a schedule or an alarm.

What swimmers think it means: When your alarm for morning practice is set to six o’clock in the morning instead of five.

 10) SWIMMING

What most people think it means: A rare and fun activity that involves relaxing near a pool or just splashing around in one.

What swimmers think it means: My life.