<p>Hey guys I was just wondering whether this quickly little tradition at Hotchkiss happens at other NE schools. Basically what you do is you swim in a freezing lake in winter (when the ice is not quite frozen). I am not a polar bear yet (I can’t work up the courage) but it sounds and looks like a hell lotta fun. So is this normal ? I know at Exeter you guys jump of bridges or something like that but do you ever jump into freezing cold water ? And what about other schools ? Is this normal ? Have any of you done it ?</p>
<p>I think this club began in Boston and it is a tradition at many New England beaches during the winter. Lots of people do it…not just prep schools. My son’s school does not have such a club.</p>
<p>During Exeter Summer School, you could join about fifty kids twice or thrice a week who wake early and depart from campus at about 5:00 AM. From there you would go to the beach and swim in the freezing cold water for about thirty minutes and then come back. So I am guessing that Exeter’s regular school session has something similar.</p>
<p>HA ha thaats cool. I wonder why the tradition started ? I know they do it in England as well. It must be more refreshing than a cold shower.</p>
<p>I am assuming the “freezing cold water” of which you refer to be Hampton Beach which is swum in by thousands daily from Late May through September. It is considered normal ocean temperature (and enjoyable) to native New Englanders. The “Polar Bears” swim in the ocean in January.</p>
<p>oo0o0 sounds like fun. we should prepare ourselves by taking cold showers :p</p>
<p>its really big at St.Andrews, too…</p>
<p>tennis21, kind of reminds me of “A Separate Peace”, which takes place at a school modeled after Exeter.</p>
<p>Not just at New England boarding schools. In New York City, members of the club go in the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island every week from November to April. The biggest day is on January 1st. I tried to get our swimmer student to try it out, but she was too smart to go for it… ;)</p>
<p>Check out this link:</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to Coney Island Polar Bear Club](<a href=“http://www.polarbearclub.org/]Welcome”>http://www.polarbearclub.org/)</p>
<p>Modeled after Exeter? It pretty much is exactly the same place. Like, one scene take place on the marble stair case I walk up to go to assembly every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. So cool!!!</p>
<p>“so cool”? haha, no waay, i’d probably burst into tears at the top of that staircase and everybody would think i’m a nutcase. hmm, good judgement, actually.</p>
<p>A SEPARATE PEACE WAS SO SAD. for some reason. i cried at the end… i do that, for like every single good book i read. which doesn’t happen too often, actually. :)</p>