On the morning of our last lesson, it was dark when we met. This was the earliest I’ve seen Mari at the pool, and she was ready to go. It turned out to be a perfect morning to review what she’d already learned and to have a successful breakthrough on a key survival skill.

It’s our final swimming lesson. My instructor, Chris Holley, and I have met eight times in four weeks. Today is test day, and I’m nervous.

First up: breathing.

I’m doing it. I. Am. Swimming!

Driving to my first swim lesson, a million thoughts were swimming through my head:

What the heck am I doing? Is it too late to change my mind? OMG, people are going to see me in a swim suit! Will people laugh at me? What if I drown? Who is this guy who’s going to teach me how to swim? What if he doesn’t know what he’s doing?

What is it like to learn to swim as an adult? We asked journalist and nonswimmer Jerry McCormick to document his journey as he became safer and more comfortable in water with the help of one of our adult learn-to-swim instructors. This is the first in a four-article series in which Jerry shares his experiences.