The first week of classes is a little like the first week of January. I’m extra nice to everyone, striving for 10,000 steps a day, and trying not to eat carbs. Then, by January 7—or the second week of the semester—I’ve given up on my utopian resolutions and succumbed to Late Night at the Rat.
This past August, I stepped onto Lower Campus as a sophomore, with a Newton Campus chip on my shoulder and a determination to make the most of my new stomping grounds. Before moving in, I delusionally assured myself that I would go to the Plex often, especially now that I could see it from my bedroom window. To nobody’s surprise, I did not, as initially hoped, go to the Plex twice a day, every day. I did, however, further explore the premises.
With everything from squash courts to a rock climbing wall, the Plex is a gym-goer’s Disneyland. There’s truly something for everyone. My first time in the Plex was during the first week of freshman year when I had the audacity to try out for club ping pong. Upon arriving at tryouts, I had to sign a medical release form and was subsequently asked if I needed a paddle or if I had brought my own.
Shamefully, I had not brought my own paddle—and I did not make the team. Since then, my time spent at the Plex has been more conventional, usually sticking to equipment you can find at any gym, like the treadmill or weights.
That was, until recently.
My new favorite part of the Plex stands proudly at the back of the locker room. I discovered it accidentally this past August, during that blissful first week when I was attempting to establish a routine while only having syllabus reading for homework. I strutted into the Plex with plans to run into and catch up with as many people as possible, maybe squeezing in an ab workout if time allowed.
As I walked down the locker room aisle, I peeked into every row, hoping to find a place to drop my bag. But, to my horror, I had timed my entrance perfectly with the end of a senior citizen swim lesson.
Every aisle I gazed upon had elderly ladies changing in them. In an attempt to give them their privacy and avoid awkward eye contact, I kept my head facing forward and hurried down the center walkway, praying I’d come across an empty section.
As I reached the final aisle at the back of the locker room, I found myself side-eyeing a sign, not a person. It read “Sauna Rules” and stood before a welcoming glass door.
Since then, my life has changed for the better. The Plex sauna has become the solution to all my problems. Bad day? Sauna. Bad grade? Sauna. Feeling a cold coming on? You guessed it—sauna.
When I returned to school after Thanksgiving, I was greeted by sub-zero temperatures in my dorm. Somebody (me) had forgotten to shut the wide-open window before leaving for break, and the heat hadn’t kicked in yet. My roommates and I struggled to warm up before finally trekking to the sauna as an answer to our frozen prayers. It was waiting for us like a warm hug.
The sauna offers more than just an all-inclusive fix—the company is always a pleasant surprise. There are usually four or five people in there at a time, and the likelihood of knowing somebody inside is strangely high. The group of people is often incredibly random, yet it can become the greatest get-together you’ve been to in a while. Everyone wants to relax after their workouts, and there’s a shared appreciation for the sauna in the polite small talk.
It’s also the best place to relax, regardless of whether you worked out. Occasionally, I’m guilty of lacing up my sneakers, putting on a cute workout set, and making a beeline for the sauna with no plans of exercising. Blatantly ignoring No. 7 on the “Sauna Rules” sign, which advises not to exceed 15 minutes in the sauna, I leave feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the night’s workload.
Lately, I’ve even been looking forward to the wintry weather. I even find myself feeling excited for the bitter cold Boston brings, knowing there is always a desert-like climate close by for me to seek refuge in.
As for second semester, I know where I’ll be ending my study days. In fact, I’m headed there now.
As I reach the end of the locker room hall, I’m greeted by the familiar “Sauna Rules” sign and a welcoming gust of warm air. I step inside and relax, knowing that the next 30—um, I mean 15—minutes will be peaceful. I agree, sign. The sauna rules.
Leave a Reply