Full of high spirits and high anxiety, 24 Viking Plungers headed to Sandy Point State Park to drink some hot chocolate and dive into 40-degree water.

The Polar Bear Plunge, held Feb. 5, raised over $1,800,000 dollars in donations for the Special Olympics, which provides persons with intellectual disabilities year-round sports training and athletic competition opportunities from age eight.

Whitman’s Best Buddies club donates to and participates in the Plunge every year, although any student is welcome to join the team.

Upon arrival, we met up with our B-CC friends, had lunch and listened to live music in a heating tent, all while dreading the 30 degree, windy weather that was waiting for us outside.

“There were lots of people all really into it, singing along and dancing to the band,” junior Nicki Lane said. “The atmosphere was kind of like a carnival and that really got me in the mood to jump into freezing water.”

The fact that it had snowed that morning wasn’t much incentive to submerge ourselves in ice-cold water. But it was all for a good cause.

At around 12:30 p.m., it was time to plunge. I was instantly jealous of those who opted not to plunge.

“I think being a non-Plunger was just as fun and rewarding,” sophomore Lily Tender said. “But I would recommend everyone to plunge if they can and for everyone else to be there and support!”

Last year, I chickened out and only waded in up to my calves before giving in to the icy burn from the water. This time I was determined to go all the way out and high-five one of the Coast Guards who were standing waist deep in the water.

As we were standing in a group and pumping each other up, the announcer gave everyone the all-clear and a herd of people wearing everything from bikinis to banana costumes sprinted into the water.

“I wasn’t going to leave any of my teammates behind, so I screamed encouragements [while] running into the water,” Lane said.

The moment my skin touched the water I remembered why I’d chickened out last year— it felt like I was walking on a million frozen needles. I pushed through, my feet already numb, my breath already short—I was a good 15 yards away from my goal.

If it wasn’t for my team of Plungers beside me I would’ve turned back and sprinted out into the warming tents. But someone grabbed my hand and dragged me forward; I didn’t even know who it was.

More than waist-deep in the water, I finally high-fived the thick glove of a Coast Guard, then quickly turned around and sprinted back to shore. Another year, another successful Plunge—time to warm up and get changed.

The ride back home was silent, either because people were too tired to move or their voices had gone hoarse from screaming and shouting throughout the day. Whatever it was, everyone on that bus was happy, whether they actually went in the water or just came along for the experience. Everyone was there for the same reason: to raise money and help support an amazing cause. See you all there next year.