Since being back at school, I can count the number of times I have gone to the gym on two hands. Thinking about our campus gym makes me nervous. Not only am I reluctant to go alone because of the sheer amount of people, but I often find myself unsure of how to “correctly” workout.
It is important to remember that college is a busy time. Trying to stay afloat in classes while maintaining relationships can be tricky. Adding a trip to the gym becomes overwhelming for some. At the end of the day, any form of exercise is a good form of exercise. If the gym scares you, walking around town or through campus is a good way to familiarize yourself with your surroundings while getting your blood pumping.
Recently, I have tried to prioritize going to the gym at least four days a week. Four things I recommend for getting yourself in the gym are:
1) Going with a friend.
2) Finding a playlist that makes you want to dance!
3) Recognizing that setting aside an hour a day is feasible.
4) Not going at “rush hour”.
Going to the gym with a friend means you are not alone. Both of you can navigate the machines together, without getting embarrassed. Having a friend also means you have a personal cheerleader by your side.
Finding a playlist with some of your favorite songs is a great way to boost your mood in the gym. It is perfectly okay to bust out a few moves in between sets or while strutting on the treadmill.
I know college is time consuming and demanding. I tend to procrastinate but putting things in perspective helps. Rather than spend an hour or two scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, I can dedicate that hour to moving my body!
Going to the gym when it is the busiest is a sure way to convince yourself not to go back. Seeing classmates, crushes, or ex-roommates can make the gym experience stressful. Picking a time that is less popular among others, allows you to decompress and focus on getting in a good sweat.
At the end of the day, we are only as productive as we want to be. Nothing beats the feeling I experience after leaving the gym. I am exhausted but in the best way because I know I have pushed myself and will sleep well in return. The hardest part is going. Once it becomes routine, it turns into something we get to do, not something we have to do.