Reigniting My Love For Fitness at the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center

A girl wearing a workout set taking a mirror pic inside of a yoga studio.
Staying active has always been a huge goal of mine, but something that also came with a lot of apprehension and intimidation. Growing up, my only form of physical activity was my childhood dance lessons, but that ended in the 3rd grade once I decided it wasn’t for me. Since then, my lack of exercise and movement was never nurtured as I was never the sporty-kind. And although I aspired to include a trip to the gym into my daily routine, my imposter syndrome made that goal seem incredibly daunting.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome at The Gym

Fast forward to my first year at DePaul, it wasn’t until Winter Quarter when a friend and I made our first trip to the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, DePaul’s on-campus gym. Since then, I have been able to find my footing at the Ray and ease some of my early gym anxiety, but my hope to include the gym in my weekly routine was still in progress. Despite overcoming my initial obstacle of actually getting acquainted with the gym, a recent struggle was maintaining a sense of consistency in going.

 

 

An Owala water bottle standing beside a yoga mat inside of a yoga studio.
A set of workout equipment including a pilates ball, light-weighted dumbbells, and a foam block.

As of lately, I have been able to make progress towards becoming a frequent gym goer and I credit a lot of that towards the Ray’s group fitness program. Included in a DePaul student’s gym membership is access to a wide collection of various fitness classes with different styles and skill levels. Out of the 50+ classes to choose from, my weekly schedule has been decorated with my personal favorites: Barre Yoga Fusion, Mat Pilates, and Multi-Level Yoga. 

 

 

Fitness Can Be Fun!

Since attending these classes, I have been able to accomplish my goal of including physical activity into my daily student life. These classes, in particular, have provided me 45-minutes of fun and challenging workout sessions that also leave me feeling uplifted and encouraged to continue showing up for myself. The ambience of each class also makes each experience worth committing to. For instance, the energy produced in a room led by an empowering instructor with pop and EDM tracks accompanying the workout routine during Barre Yoga Fusion and Mat Pilates is the best pick-me-up during the middle of the week. Furthermore, I have found so much peace in ending my weeks with a restful yoga class that takes place in a low-lit studio along with meditative music that guide us through each practice.

A sage green wall with art of tropical leaves and the word “breathe.”
A Buddhist painting of the Buddha hanging on a wall.

The experience has also been great whenever I am able to attend these classes with a friend as they make for the perfect opportunity to combine physical activity into my social life in college. But as much as I love introducing these classes to my friends, even as an introvert I have found that I have just as much fun showing up to class by myself, and that in doing so, I am able to walk out of each session feeling so proud of myself for showing up and dedicating time out of my day to better my health and wellbeing.

So for all the avid gym goers who crave a fun addition to their workout routine or the nervous newcomers who want a welcoming introduction to the world of fitness, I can’t help but recommend taking advantage of this amazing resource as it truly is such a blessing and privilege to have access to free classes that encourage positivity, care for our wellbeing, and good health. 

 

                                    ~With love, Sam

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