For the Friday Morning Swim Club members, there is no better way to start the day than with a dip in the lake.
Once the weather is warm enough, the crew heads down to the rowing docks almost every Friday morning for a refreshing swim bright and early at 7 a.m. It’s all fun and games, and members often bring inner tubes with them.
This past Friday, as the sun was rising on tiger town and the sky was streaked with orange, members made their way down the sandy shores of Lake Hartwell for one of the club’s first jumps of the semester.
Conversations between old friends swelled as music blasted from a speaker and donuts were delivered by co-president Brennan Dougherty. Jokes about commitment to being there were made, and members wore their wake-up times like badges. One thing was clear; everyone who wakes up early enough to jump in a lake wants to be there. The love they have for the club was evident.
“One of the things I wanted most coming into Clemson was to be able to make my mark, whether it be big or small,” co-president Lauren Carder said. “I feel like the way we’re creating a mini tradition here is so special to me. We have kids who aren’t even freshmen here yet following the Instagram already, and I just know they’re gonna love it as much as we do.”
The club is all in the spirit of comradery, community and, of course, coffee, which is provided. Members are encouraged to bring their own mugs and sip and stay a while after the plunge.
“I just can’t wait to look back in five years and see where it goes and know that I got to be a part of it. Everyone here loves it as much as we do,” Carder said, gesturing to her co-president. “Hopefully, it’s a legacy that lasts for years to come.”

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Mercedes Dubberly // Senior Reporter

All smiling faces at Friday Morning Swim’s first jump of the season.