I’m not the biggest fan of summer, especially in the Mid-Atlantic with its hot and humid climate. But there’s one thing that gets me very excited about summer now — swimming outdoors. The working life of an astronomy grad student is often spent indoors on the computer, whether that’s on the east coast of the U.S. or on a mountain in Chile.

I finally joined a swim club last summer that practices in an outdoor pool during summer months. They hold an annual open water swim in one member’s “backyard” to kick off the summer. So this Saturday I enjoyed a very pleasant 2-mile swim with other swimmers from various walks of life.

It’s really nice to get together with other Maryland swimmers of all ages from a range of backgrounds. Swimming is my favorite way to detach from work and clear my head. And in the summer I know I won’t be missing my vitamin D.