The clanging of weights and loud speakers overhead is a sound very familiar to a lot of Aggies. As the Southside Recreation Center opened its doors at the start of this semester, the gym culture of Texas A&M was made accessible to even more of the student body. 

Just the main Rec Center alone receives an average of 8,000 visitors a day, according to a Texas A&M Today article, and each of these gym-goers have their own unique motivation, routine and reason for being in the gym. 

Many people are pushed to pick up a weight or turn on a treadmill for the first time for a similar reason: aesthetics. But many stayed for something more personal.
“When I first started going to the gym, it was to look better,” history sophomore Ben Ford said. “It’s fun. I think it’s a fun time, especially when I can do it with friends, it’s like a fun activity I can do with the guys.”
Construction science sophomore Jacob Morris said the main reason he goes to the gym is just because he enjoys it.

“I guess it’s also nice to see strength gains and size gains but if anything I just enjoy it for the workout itself,” Morris said.
Many more people felt the same way. Engineering freshman Tamnay Chhimwal said they started working out due to boredom and a desire to improve themselves.
“I really didn’t have much to do and I really wasn’t happy with how my body looked,” Chhimwal said. “I’m happy with the results, I like the way I look. And it’s really satisfying seeing my hard work paying off.”

Even though many Aggies started working out in order to improve their looks, they were all able to find another reason to stay. 

“It gave me a new hobby to add to myself,” Chhimwal said. 

Some have even been able to make major progress in the Rec. Agricultural journalism and communications freshman Roger Zamarripa said they’ve lost 175 pounds in a year. However, Zamarripa said there was much more improvement in his life besides just the physical changes. 

“If you have a lot of stress and worries in your life, you don’t realize how much physical activity can help relieve that stress emotionally,” Zamarripa said.“So if you’re feeling like that, then maybe you should go to the gym.” 
Others have very specific goals in mind whenever they get up to hit the gym.

“I want to be able to carry my wife to our bed on our wedding day,” history junior David Jahn said. 

Biology junior Daniel Garrido said his dad influenced him to start taking physical fitness seriously.

“Health is one of the most important things in my life, next to my family and the relationships I have,”Garrido said.

Music can be essential in order to get into the right headspace to exercise, and just like motivations, each Aggies’ playlist is unique to them, and specific exercises can call for specific genres.

“Anytime I’m hitting chest or arms … I’ll try to listen to [19]90s gangster rap, but if it’s legs I usually listen to [19]90s grunge like Rage Against the Machine or Red Hot Chili Peppers,” Ford said.

Chhimwal said they enjoy listening to something hard-hitting on gym days too.

“I listen to really loud music on leg days especially to mentally get ready,” Chhimwal said. “I’m really into Playboi Carti. I play the [Narcissist] tour remixes on SoundCloud … They’re so fire.”

However, not everyone always listens to something hardcore. 

“You would think I’m listening to super-fast music, but I’m more of a classical guy, so I like listening to slow music,” Zimarripa said.“I’m religious so I like worship music.” 
“Sometimes it’s soul or ambient,” Morris said. “Sometimes it’s rap or metal.”

At times, the hardest thing about going to the gym is making the commitment to go. Especially beginners will frequently have trouble making their first trip to the gym, and it can be very easy for anyone to psych themselves out. Morris and Ford said to get past this, you just have to do it.

“Stop trying to rationalize it a whole bunch,” Morris said. “You can think of a million reasons not to go… but just go.” 

“Just get out of your bed and do it,” Ford said.

Although it might be intimidating at first, you won’t regret committing to improving yourself, Chhimwa said.

“You from one year ago wished they looked like you now,” Chhimwa said. “You from a year ago would be proud of what you’ve done so far. You wouldn’t believe you came this far.”

And finally, Zamarripa said that working out can put you on a path to a fulfilling life.

“There’s no true definition of winning in life,” Zamarripa said. “But if you’re healthy, and you’ve got yourself in the right mindset, you’re essentially winning at life, so look at life that way. As long as you’re strong in faith and strong in your ph