“Don’t worry– just go for it,” my mom said over the phone when I asked her if I should keep up my workout regimen at cherubs. “Once you get into the rhythm of it, you’ll keep moving.”
Mother’s always right?
During day three of the program, two other cherubs and I walked nearly a mile to the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and sprung for the $70 six-week gym membership card. If only I knew how grateful I would be for that decision.
I worried that exercising as frequently and intensely as I do back home, where I can relax all day after a workout, would be overwhelming. But I learned that being a cherub is a balancing act of academic work, social interactions and personal time. Going to the gym would help me do all three. The cherubs experience simulates college life, and knowing I can make time for everything that matters to me in a day at cherubs gave me confidence.
At home, I can work out any time of day, but on the cherubs schedule, I had to make decisions quickly and independently about how to spend my free time. Whether it be paying close attention to the gym hours or eating on the walk back from the gym, I also learned to plan ahead. In return for my effort, the habit of gymgoing helped me feel mentally and physically healthy, which improved my ability to learn at cherubs.
After long days, instead of scrolling through Instagram in my room, I de-stressed by lifting weights. I found a healthy way to rejuvenate myself. Sometimes I headed to the sports pavilion by myself and sometimes with other cherub “gym bros,” with $20 day passes or six-week membership cards of their own.
In the guys’ text chat, we pump each other up and hold each other responsible. One time, we sprinted to the gym in a downpour. Another, we bolted back on a 90-degree day to avoid being late for class.
Bonding over our passion for fitness, we didn’t just “spot” each other on the bench press – we spotted each other in real life too. Our discussions forged connections extending way beyond the weights.
My mom contends that experiences outvalue material possessions, and (see above), she’s always right. I paid for a gym membership, and I got more than my money’s worth.
