By Morgan Oakes
“I can’t go to Fitrec, it’s too scary.” is a sentence I’ve heard too many times to count. When I counter this by saying that I work out there all the time and feel completely confident, I am often met with confusion. Adding the fact that I am a woman claiming to be unintimidated by FitRec confuses some of my friends even more. I believe this confusion is misplaced.
Before I came to college, I never worked out, mainly because my high school schedule didn’t allow me to. A secondary reason, though, was that I was scared to step foot in a gym and unsure how to use any of the equipment. I was afraid of even trying, out of concern that people working out around me would judge me for my inability.
However, when I arrived at BU and stepped into the multi-floor, ginormous gym for the first time, I immediately decided I had to at least give working out a shot. At first, I felt overwhelmed by FitRec, but during the fall of my sophomore year I took a PDP class on the foundations of weightlifting, where I gradually became more familiar with all that the gym had to offer. Now, I work out multiple times a week, and can’t remember the last time I felt uncomfortable. Additionally, I have never felt at all judged by anyone around me, and I find the environment to be warm and welcoming. I advise any student at BU, new or old, to give working out at FitRec a chance.