Lea will take it from here:
OK so I filled up a bath (not to the top but enough to cover me completely), all the while questioning whether I was about to go through on the stupidest idea I ever had. I stared into the bath water and giggled, but inwardly I was terrified. This may have been one of those things that looked a much better idea than it actually was. I got this far, though, so no way I was going to chicken out.
I slowly lurched my right foot into the bath, waiting for that moment of impact with the water. When it came I knew it straight away and, slowly still, I let the water envelop my sock, feeling the damp immediately. I then brought my other leg into the bath, not taking as much time with this one to dip it underwater. I was wearing very long jeans, too, so the ends of them came into contact with the bath water as well.
I then lowered myself very nervously into the bath, feeling the water rise up along my legs as I went ever lower. After a few seconds I was sitting down in the tub, with everything below the waist now soaked. I squirmed as the water hit my jeans, which seemed to have doubled in weight.
I leaned forward and prepared to dip the top half of my body into the water. Again I lowered myself rather gently backwards beneath the surface, the water seeping up along my back and my wrists. I let out another squeal but also some laughter, scarcely believing my courage. The water finally reached above my chest, with my clothes now totally sopping. Then came the crowning moment where I took an extended breath and closed my eyes before taking my head underwater. I felt my hair dancing around uncontrollably under the surface and before long I dramatically leapt back up, gasping for air and rubbing my eyes.
I belatedly realised something during my time in the tub - I had got in without turning off the taps, but thankfully I spotted it just before the water level was up to the maximum, so I was spared the bathroom floor getting flooded! The same couldn't be said for me, though, but I was actually hugely enjoying this memorable first. My friend Trish pointed out that my clothes would be destroyed and would take hours to dry, but I wasn't concerned at that moment so I allowed myself to relax in the tub for a few minutes, suddenly accustomed to my wet clothes. I occasionally lifted my legs out of the water, again noticing the vast amounts of water that had seeped into my jeans as I admired my socks. When I went to pull my leg underwater again, a gentle stream of water drained from my jeans back to the expanse in the tub, making a playful splashing noise on impact.
Eventually I decided enough was enough and climbed out of the water. The dripping from my clothes was pronounced as I stood up, with only my ankles and feet still underwater. As I lifted my feet out, more water fell from my jeans and I stepped onto a towel, grimacing at the feel of my soaking socks. I changed into some dry clothes, removing the drenched attire with difficulty. Clothes feel so different when they've been submerged. Now I knew what Trish was saying about them needing hours to dry out, so I wasted no time in hanging them out on the line, where luckily they were dry much quicker than expected.
That was a good day. I'm still amazed that I went through with it but I'm so glad I did. In fact, I loved it so much that I went back and repeated it the next day! This time, I remembered to turn the taps off before I got into the bath! I just hope now I don't make a habit of these clothed baths!! :)
