New Place

Early this morning, I took a little trip to the SOU Fitness Center, which, I am ashamed to say, I had never been to before. My boyfriend went with me to help me do an easy workout. As soon as I walked in the building I felt intimidated. I knew that the people who were already there probably came on a regular basis and were athletes. I noticed things about the environment, such as upbeat music playing and the walls painted in school spirit colors. Everyone there seemed intent on his or her own mission for the day. There was very little verbal communication amongst the people working out. There was some non-verbal interaction though, such as people giving each other looks that said "I am finished on this machine" or "Ow this really hurts." What I mostly observed was intense focus. People were there to accomplish something, and I suddenly realized that no one would really even notice that I was at a loss in this unknown environment. I gradually became more at ease and started to enjoy the feeling of health that comes with good exercise. I was pleased to see signs posted that reminded people to wipe off their machines and asked them to not spit on the walls or in the trash can as part of "weight room etiquette." By the end of my work out, I felt energized and ready for more. I am planning to start making my visits to the Fitness Center a bit more regular.