There’s a very specific moment somewhere between your first step in the ocean and the total loss of feeling below your ankles when you realize two things: first, this was entirely your choice, and second, this is crazy. Perhaps you start to regret everything as a chilly breeze sweeps across the bay, but you keep going. Easing into it isn’t really an option, so the next moment you’re up to your shoulders, forced into a state of pure sensation. Someone behind you is yelling. Someone has already sprinted back to shore. And then it hits you: the shock, the laughter, the possibility that maybe you are crazy and the thought that maybe that’s okay. You’re freezing, fully alive and forever bonded with those who share an appreciation for the practice. Cold-water plunging should become a Brunonian ritual. It’s a simple, wonderfully chaotic way for students to decompress, foster community and embody the spirit of the Ocean State beyond the bounds of College Hill.
The practice of cold plunging dates back to 3500 B.C.E., when it was used for therapeutic purposes in Ancient Egypt. More than five millennia later, it has become an online fad, seen as a low-effort and energy-inducing form of self-care. The practice has been found to provide various health benefits, such as boosting energy and focus while soothing muscle soreness.
Cold water immersion is not new to schools on the East Coast. Jumping into Hanover’s Occom Pond is a storied part of Winter Carnival at Dartmouth. Yalies have participated in a February polar plunge in the Long Island Sound every year since 2010. URI students have turned the practice into an annual fundraiser, sending proceeds to a Providence-based nonprofit. Brunonians should hop on the trend.
I grew up in Massachusetts, so I spent many chilly spring breaks on Cape Cod, braving the frigid waters of the Atlantic for fun. Each icy plunge rewired my whole body, and I left the ocean with a triumphant smile and chattering teeth each time. Now, as students of the Ocean State, integrating nautical culture into our outdoor activities should be an important part of becoming a campus native.
You may be wondering: Maya, must we throw ourselves into the ocean in order to foster community? Why not just go hang out on the Main Green? To this I say the Main Green is all fine and good, but let’s be honest — real bonds are forged in pain. While I enjoyed the warm weather that lured Brunionians outside last week, I began to question the extent to which Main Green mingling can bring us together. If we want a ritual that reliably sparks a similar, perhaps even stronger, communal energy — something a little wilder and unmistakably Rhode Island — we need to take our gatherings somewhere colder. By overcoming the challenge of jumping into the freezing waves together, Brunonians will be able to forge deeper bonds with each other than they would sticking to the comfort of the Main Green. Doing hard things together not only makes them easier, but nurtures communal solidarity, reliance and trust. It’s time to take our socializing to the next step.
Finished midterms? Plunge! Need to destress before an exam? Plunge! First date? Newly single and needing some spontaneity? Looking for the perfect team bonding activity? The reasons to take a dip in frigid water are endless. Use it as a way to ground yourself in the moment. Josh Hecht of Wesleyan University sees cold plunging as a way to deal with stress. “A lot of the time, I’m caught up thinking about the past or thinking about the future, but this forces you to be like, ‘I am fucking cold right now.’ That’s all I can think about. So it’s really nice to be forced back into my body,” he said.
March is the perfect time to start plunging. The Rhode Island water is still cold enough to give you a kick, and it’s only going to get warmer — so go while the going is good. When you feel the time is right, I recommend the nearby RISD or Crescent Beaches. Swipe your Brown ID, hop on the RIPTA and head straight there — just mind the sand and don’t get the seats too wet on the way home. Come with a towel, a change of dry clothes and a speaker, digital camera or your favorite yard game for a good vibe. Most important: a group of friends who won’t overthink it!
Maya Tkachenko ’29 can be reached at maya_tkachenko@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
