Crew is a sport that is unknown by most and misunderstood by many. Non-rowers will never understand what it feels like to beat your best 2K erg time or how it feels to soar through the finish line, coming in first place at a regatta. Most importantly, non-rowers will never understand the inseparable bond that forms with the members of their boat and team. Here's 25 things only rowers will understand.
1. When you've been up since 4 a.m., 8 a.m. feels like lunchtime, and you're ready to eat a buffet.
2. On the seventh day, Satan created ergs.
Hearing the words "2K test" or "6K test" can instantly make you cry.
3. Your wardrobe consists of spandex, spandex, and more spandex.
Spandex and uni's have become acceptable attire for anywhere.
4. This is your friends reaction when you start talking in crew lingo:
5. Crocs are acceptable footwear, and so are flip flops with socks.
6. Catching crabs has nothing to do with fishing or shellfish.
7. Throwing your coxswain into a freezing cold, gross body of water is a perfectly normal form of celebration.
8. Sometimes you hear cow bells ringing in your sleep.
Normal people have nightmares about monsters—in our nightmares, we hear cow bells.
9. Your hands are always covered in blisters.
You and your teammates compare your blisters to see whose are "bigger" or "worse."
10. If you row lightweight, then you know the struggles of trying to stay under weight.
Stripping down into basically your underwear before you step on the scale, starving yourself before a regatta, running a lap and then stepping back onto the scale hoping you magically lost that one pound you were over by.
11. You start to accept people's ignorance about the sport.
"You must have really strong arms"
"Yeah..."
12. When non-rowers make that dumb rowing motion with their hands, and all you wanna do is take their hand and hit them in the face with it.
13. Is rowing even a sport?
Don't ever say this to me.
14. Rowing season means you don't have a social life outside of your team.
You and the members of your boat become inseparable during rowing season.
15. Two words: Pasta parties.
16. Finally finishing a race and then realizing you have to row all the way back to the dock.
17. Soaking the person behind you went from an accident to a horrible game.
18. Seeing a flat calm body of water and immediately thinking, "That would be perfect to row on."
19. Having to wake up in the middle of the night for regattas has become a daily routine.
20. Beating your best erg time is the best feeling in the world.
21. NO, CREW IS NOT LIKE KAYAKING OR CANOEING.
22. Buying matching spandex, ribbon, hats, or socks to wear with the members of your boat so that you all match.
