College can feel very stationary. Managing those first few weeks of lectures, homework assignments, and studying usually involves a lot of sitting for long periods of time. If you are like me, this adjustment can become especially hard when you have spent most of your life constantly on the go and moving. As a competitive dancer, I was not only active during rehearsals, but I had a busy schedule full of running around from school, to clubs, to dance, to home, and repeating. Deciding to stop participating in a sport can feel like a big relief–since it opens up so much free time–but eventually it can become too much free time.
Since the time I was ten and began dancing, I never had to worry about being active enough. Coming to college, I knew I should find a way to adjust and start incorporating more activity into my routine–which meant going to the gym, despite how scared I was of it. I had never gone before because I already had enough fitness incorporated into my routine via dance. In thrusting myself into a completely new fitness world, I have gathered tactics that were successful in easing me into it.
Having someone by your side will always ease any nerves you have in most scenarios, and it applies to this as well. Especially if it is someone with similar athletic experience to yours, since you will probably have the same preferences as to what equipment to use. The first time I went to the gym was with my friend Maddy–a theater major (also Madam President) who has a similar history of taking ballet and tap classes like myself. Experiment with your friend’s routine and see if you enjoy it, or if it pushes you enough. Having someone to go to the gym with regularly also means you can hold each other accountable. Maddy and I had a routine of going every Friday after our seminar, no matter how tired I felt by the end of the week. I knew this would also be a chance for us to hang out, which made me look forward to working out rather than it feeling like a chore. Second semester, my friend Victoria and I started going to the gym together a few times throughout the week, targeting a different body part each time. This routine has encouraged us to make sure that we do not neglect any part of our bodies, even if we have preferences based on what workout comes easiest to us. Whenever I try something new (which is a lot), I feel assured by having a companion near me who can give me any tips if I need them, or who can simply distract me from any discomfort.
While going with a friend is motivating, going alone can also become a very grounding experience. It has become one of the ways I relax throughout the week, which may sound surprising considering workouts are intended to push your body’s limits. Mentally, though, working out creates an escape. Put on a playlist you can get lost in while doing reps, or turn on a good show when using the stairmaster (my go-to is Sex and the City, probably not the best to watch in public, however). Give your mind a break while your body works, because throughout the rest of the day, the roles are usually reversed. Working out on your own time entails that you can go when you want to. Part of why athletes are so susceptible to burnout is because they have no control over how activity fits into their schedule. That is a factor as to why I did not remotely consider continuing dance in college–I did the overwhelming routine of going straight from school, to club meetings, to rehearsal for the entirety of my adolescence. I could not imagine continuing it after already adapting to an enormous change in my life. Incorporate fitness into your schedule when it works best for you, and when it will be something you look forward to rather than dread.
The biggest thing that had been putting me off from going to the gym was the idea of being surrounded by other people when trying something new. I have heard so many horror stories about women experiencing rude behavior from random men, such as them giving advice when it is not needed or being bothersome in general. It can already be anxiety-inducing enough to try something new, let alone feel like you have an audience watching or waiting to approach you. For the first few times experimenting with the gym, I would recommend going to a smaller one. My campus offers gyms in the residence halls, alongside offering a larger one near the athletic buildings, which is called Alumni Arena. I panicked after making plans to spend my first gym experience at campus’ largest fitness facility–I did not know my way around the building, and I kept worrying it was going to be filled with people. I decided it may be best to start smaller, and decided to see what the smaller fitness centers that the residence halls included were like. Some people have a love-hate relationship with residence fitness centers, but in my experience, they have been great for simply getting started. They are not very overwhelming, and they are filled with other students rather than complete strangers unlike a commercial gym. Since they have a smaller capacity, there are not as many people there, making it a more comfortable environment to experiment with unfamiliar equipment and to challenge yourself. They are also in close proximity to where you are most of the time, making it easier to incorporate your time there into your schedule. Bigger gyms, both the ones offered by campus and not, have their benefits. If you are likely going to be overwhelmed, however, start out at a small gym.
Anxiety that comes with adapting to a new environment is completely normal, but it is important to not let it constrain you. Movement is in fact one of the best ways to regulate any turmoil you are experiencing, especially when you are finally in control of how it fits into your schedule. Get out of your room, put your headphones on, and begin building a new routine for yourself.