The water is dark and frigid when my campmate and I hold hands and jump. The first ones in, we’re both gasping and sputtering when we resurface, gooseflesh blooming over every inch of skin exposed to the morning air. The other campers laugh at us and the noises we make as we splash, furiously trying to warm up. I don’t think I like polar bear swims.

The sun rises and splinters against the water as we shout, breaking the early stillness. The water’s just beginning to feel manageable by the time we hoist ourselves out of the lake…