I prefer to go to the gym in the mornings - this semester, I've been sticking to Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8 AM (which is when it opens) in order to get a full hour in since we have classes at the center at 10 AM most days. The owner is usually setting things up or finishing up his own workout, and we chat a little before I start mine. Sometimes he gives me tips or helps me with some of the machines, which is good because I'm trying to continue to vary my routine. He's a really nice guy who has led a fascinating life, from growing up in France and studying Arabic there to studying karate in Japan and eventually getting married to a Japanese woman before divorcing and returning to Morocco.
I used to zip through all of the machines in one hour if I stayed focused enough, but now I focus on half of them + strength workouts one day and alternate with the other half + core workouts the next. I also use the free weights sometimes to do drills I remember from Bodypump - if only they actually had Bodypump classes! Towards the end, I stop to stretch then head out to get ready for class. The gym will usually be pretty empty when I enter but when I leave it's packed with older women who come for the 9 AM aerobics class!
I think the gym played a large part in helping me stay relaxed last semester, even when we had a lot of deadlines. It's become such an integral part of my routine that even though this semester seems much busier, I still try to keep a chunk of time reserved for the gym. Hopefully I can keep up this routine when I return home!