In my last year at Bryn Mawr, I’ve paid more attention to what I do outside of classes and clubs in order to recharge myself. Along with that, I’ve had to learn to not feel guilty about having some time for rest and relaxation everyday and remember to treat things like eating and showering as restful pauses in my day rather than inconveniences to my work flow. With all that in mind, I’m starting a new post series on what I like to do in my downtime! In this post, I’ll be talking about working out at the gym.

My relationship with working out has been a bit all over the place. I remember during my freshman year  I didn’t feel motivated to walk all the way over the hill to reach the gym. During my sophomore year I took hip-hop and modern dance classes to fulfill my PE credit and I had a blast! I then spent most of junior year cooped in my dorm room with occasional took long walks around campus and sometimes a visit to the gym. Each of these of options had their pros and cons but they showed me that I wanted to do something consistently with flexible timing and the option to do it with friends.

Ultimately, I decided to solidify my relationship with the Schwartz Fitness this year. I mainly decided to go to the gym more regularly because of my Feminist Perspectives of Health professor; one day, this three hour seminar ended an hour early and my professor said to the class, “For the next hour, choose to do something for your health”. We had spent the last couple weeks discussing different ways that “health” is socially constructed and my professor had always been very empathetic towards all the responsibilities students have to balance in their daily lives. “To do something for your health,” looks different for everyone and that day I decided I wanted to hit the gym.

This choice was initially made because I merely wanted to move around after sitting through several hours of classes that day but since then it has become a routine where I get a regular endorphin boost! I found that I put a pause to the constant list of responsibilities and worries my mind is keeping a list of, and all I need to do for that hour at the gym is to focus on what is happening in the present moment. It’s also served as a time for me to catch up on my favorite entertainment; I get to listen to fun educational podcast episodes from the Smithsonian or NPR or listen to an album I’ve been meaning to check out.

The main thing I’ve found during my time at the gym is that it has allowed me to experiment with how I move I body. The fitness center has various machines and other exercise equipment to cater to anyone with any fitness experience and any workout preference, so I find that I can get creative with my workout or keep it simple based on my mood. I’ve always found the environment at the gym peaceful; everyone is there polite and I don’t feel pressured or judged to dress or perform a certain way. Just as the Bryn Mawr community is one in which students challenge themselves instead of being competitive with one another, I find the gym is a place where people focus on themselves and their personal goals. The ambiance of the gym makes me think of a motto often repeated around campus: “done is good” — trust that you’re doing your best and get things done.