I had tons of misconceptions and reasons for not going to the spa despite my curiosity and invitations from friends and loved ones. I once thought that the spa was only for women, and when the spa craze was spreading throughout the country, I thought that men who went to it were the vain and conceited kind—the vaunted “metrosexuals,” and I didn’t consider myself one of them.

But last week, at the height of “Chedeng’s” rampage, I was invited for the nth time by my girlfriend to check out a spa. While on our way to the spa, I bombarded her with questions on what to do once I was inside the spa. What should I do once I stepped inside the massage room? It was one fantastic experience! From the sauna bath to the massage, to the warm green tea that capped the massage, everything was great. All the fears and misconceptions I had about going to the spa were massaged away, along with the physical and mental stress I was carrying that day.