Never would I have thought that a place that is filled with people, different shapes, big arms, legs, abs, would make me feel so safe. Over this past summer, I had so much going on. I needed something to be able to relieve the stress and anxiety that I had. I used to run about 3 miles a day during covid because I felt like I was out of shape and gaining weight from sitting around. Fitness was never a big strong suit for me. Soon enough after realizing that I need something to distract myself from life, my best friend got me into the gym. I went the first day and felt a little overwhelmed with the number of people there, then seeing the way they looked and comparing myself. I didn’t think it was the right fit for me, but I got a membership anyways because I wanted to get myself better for volleyball so I could jump higher. I ended up going every day and realized how good I felt after. I felt less tensed up and like I was actually getting my anger out. I had a very long summer with a lot that was being built up inside me. Starting to release it with weights created better mental health for me. According to helpguide.org, “As one example, a recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%. In addition to relieving depression symptoms, research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing”. It is very evident that even a simple walk outside can help someone feel better. It was always a saying I heard that the gym was therapy. I really never believed it. I thought it was just something people were saying because they felt better about their own looks after going, but it literally is therapy. You run for 30 minutes, start sweating, and every drop of sweat is less weight being held onto you. Also, according to helpguide.org, they state, “Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins”. I 100% agree with this statement. After covid and coming back to school, my anxiety has never been worse. It is hard for me to sit still in a presentation, be confident in raising my hand, and take tests without having a panic attack before. Usually, I will come home from school, relax for about an hour, then start to get some homework done. Once the clock hits about 6:30, I will be so stressed and need a break. I then will drive out to the gym and work out for about two hours. It is a great way for me to clear my mind, then when I come back home, I am refocused and am able to sit in one place and finish the rest of my homework. Lastly, self-esteem is something that I have had a hard time with. Feeling confident in what I am wearing or how I look is something that I am trying to work on. I don’t care about what others think of how I look, I can get compliments like “you are so pretty” or “omg your legs are amazing”, of course, I will say thank you, but it is different when you say thank you because you know it is true and you appreciate the compliment. My “thank you’s” are more of a brush it off comment back. I want to be able to say thank you because I am working hard for the way I look and I want to project myself in a better way by doing so. All in all, the gym isn’t something I am trying to tell everyone to go to, I just know that for me, it keeps me in a better mindset for myself and away from a lot of distractions. I wish there were points in my school days where I could leave really quickly and go before a test or something, because I know I will be less stressed, but unfortunately I can not. I think it is just overall a great thing that people can do, and it is so easy to start, you just have to maintain it and make it a consistent thing. But once you get that feeling of accomplishment and relief after leaving, you will never want to miss a day.