Okay, I am a CrossFit noobie. I’ve been going to my local “box” for about six weeks now, and it has completely changed how I go about my days. Since I have begun doing this intense work out style, I have found myself thinking about CrossFit at least 85 percent of the time I am awake. It was like I was colorblind and now I can finally see what I've been missing. I only wish I had known about this world sooner.

When I initially joined CrossFit, my favorite thing about it was the new terms I had to learn — and boy were there a lot of them! However, by the end of the week, it was like I was speaking conversational Japanese to all of friends outside of the gym. Two months ago, I would have looked at you funny if you would have started talking about muscle-ups and double unders, but now I don't think I can go a day without throwing out some obscure WOD (Workout Of the Day) term.

During my second week of CrossFit, I received my first war-wound. I got these gnarly knee-scrapes from doing (what felt like at the time) a hundred burpees. If you don't know what a burpee is, or you've never had to do one, consider yourself lucky. I kept this injury to myself, but I began to notice that CrossFit battle scars were something to be very proud of in the gym.

My trainers constantly chatted about their weekly visits to chiropractors and Instagramed pictures of this guy’s hand after he split it open while flipping tires. I realized this behavior was a bit odd, but I wanted to be a part of that world. I wanted to chat about my war wounds and have the signs on my body that I was doing this hard and painful work too. Well, I got what I wanted. I have callouses on my hands, a nasty rip on my hands from trying (heavy emphasis on trying) to do pull-ups, scars on my knees from getting too eager in the “hang” position while lifting, and some bad looking scabs from falling into some weights while trying to do a handstand pushup. I could go on and on, but I’m proud of all my battle wounds — even though that may make me seem slightly off in the head.

While the workouts and battle scars are exciting, there's another element to CrossFit: community. I’ve always been a little antisocial. When I first started going to my basic college gym I went in with my head down, finished my workout, and left. I thought that was the best way to do it. My first day of CrossFit was a little like that. I kept my head down and thought there was no way I was ever going to remember any of these peoples names, but I did. Not only did I learn their names, but I also learned their favorite workouts, what workouts they hated, and hobbies outside of the gym. I even found out one of my trainers is almost as big of a Game of Thrones fan as I am, and we’ve chatted about many fan theories while doing our warmups. Learning more about my fellow CrossFitters caused me to grow closer to them and realize we are more than adrenaline junkies sweating together, trying to pump the iron.

I starting coming home and talking about all of these people like I had known them for years. Once I went home and told my boyfriend, “Oh Jane said the funniest thing to John while working out today.” My boyfriend just stared at me while I told the story, waited for me to finish, and then politely asked me, “Who the hell are those people?” Gym life and real life just blur together sometimes.

Doing CrossFit has changed my life in a few ways. No, I have not become totally shredded in the 6 weeks that I've been working out, (However, I have toned up some! Wink, wink!) but I found myself becoming more active and outgoing. I’ve made new friends, connected with other athletes online, and come to love the art of weightlifting, and find myself wanting to eat healthier (although I will never give up my Cheese-Its or Popeyes.)

My article title may have been slightly exaggerated. Yes, I am slightly obsessed with CrossFit, but do I think its a cult? No, not at all. It is a lifestyle. It is a place to enjoy friends and a place that makes you sweat and like it. It is a community. It is a strong community of fellow athletes who love to do the extreme and bond over setting and meeting their goals.