diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 2b4aafb..5a14410 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ struct SDLHandles
 
 struct RenderState
 {
-	memory_arena* arena;
+	memory_arena* asset_arena;
 	transforms* xforms; // NOTE: would be part of camera in libTangerine
 	SDLHandles* handles;
 	GLContext* gl_ctx;
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ struct RenderState
 
 	// FIXME: WIP
 	// TODO: need to initialize groups
+	memory_arena* rg_arena;
 	u32 num_render_groups;
 	u32 max_render_groups;
 	RenderGroup* render_groups;
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ getModel(RenderState* rs, const char* filepath)
 	model* mdl = assetGetCached(rs->assets, utilFNV64a_str(filepath));
 
 	if (!mdl)
-		mdl = assetLoadFromFile(rs->assets, rs->arena, filepath);
+		mdl = assetLoadFromFile(rs->assets, rs->asset_arena, filepath);
 
 	return mdl;
 }
@@ -109,21 +110,19 @@ initAssets(memory_arena* arena,
 }
 
 RenderState*
-initRenderState(memory_arena* arena)
+initRenderState()
 {
 	RenderState* rs = UTIL_ALLOC(1, RenderState);
 
 	if (rs) {
-		rs->arena = arena;
-		rs->assets = initAssets(arena);
-		rs->gl_ctx = initGLContext(arena);
-		rs->xforms = ARENA_ALLOC(arena, transforms, 1);
-		//rs->handles = ARENA_ALLOC(arena, SDLHandles, 1);
+		rs->asset_arena = arenaInit(DEFAULT_ARENA_SIZE);
+		rs->rg_arena = arenaInit(DEFAULT_ARENA_SIZE);
+		rs->assets = initAssets(rs->asset_arena);
+		rs->gl_ctx = initGLContext(rs->asset_arena);
+		rs->xforms = ARENA_ALLOC(rs->asset_arena, transforms, 1);
 		rs->handles = UTIL_ALLOC(1, SDLHandles);
 		rs->max_gl_meshes = 256;
-		// TODO: should have a different arena for gl_meshes, because these will
-		// 	be the most volatile objects
-		rs->gl_meshes = ARENA_ALLOC(arena, GLmesh, rs->max_gl_meshes);
+		rs->gl_meshes = ARENA_ALLOC(rs->rg_arena, GLmesh, rs->max_gl_meshes);
 	}
 
 	return rs;
@@ -133,7 +132,7 @@ void
 freeRenderState(RenderState*& rs)
 {
 	if (rs) {
-		arenaFree(rs->arena);
+		arenaFree(rs->asset_arena);
 		utilSafeFree(rs->handles);
 		utilSafeFree(rs);
 		rs = nullptr;
@@ -197,7 +196,7 @@ initGraphics(SDLHandles* handles)
 bool
 addShaders(RenderState* rs)
 {
-	if (!addShaderProgram(rs->arena,
+	if (!addShaderProgram(rs->asset_arena,
 			rs->gl_ctx,
 			"../data/shader.vert",
 			"../data/shader.frag",
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ addShaders(RenderState* rs)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	if (!addShaderProgram(rs->arena,
+	if (!addShaderProgram(rs->asset_arena,
 			rs->gl_ctx,
 			"../data/colored_vertices.vert",
 			"../data/colored_vertices.frag",
@@ -217,7 +216,7 @@ addShaders(RenderState* rs)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	if (!addShaderProgram(rs->arena,
+	if (!addShaderProgram(rs->asset_arena,
 			rs->gl_ctx,
 			"../data/debug.vert",
 			"../data/debug.frag",
@@ -343,8 +342,7 @@ quit(RenderState*& rs)
 int
 main()
 {
-	memory_arena* arena = arenaInit(DEFAULT_ARENA_SIZE);
-	RenderState* rs = initRenderState(arena);
+	RenderState* rs = initRenderState();
 
 	if (!initGraphics(rs->handles))
 		return 1;
@@ -353,7 +351,7 @@ main()
 
 		// FIXME: need to test this with another shader that has another UBO
 		gl_buffer& ubo = rs->gl_ctx->uniform_buffers[rs->gl_ctx->num_ubos++];
-		initTransforms(arena, rs->xforms, &ubo, rs->gl_ctx);
+		initTransforms(rs->asset_arena, rs->xforms, &ubo, rs->gl_ctx);
 
 		if (!addShaders(rs)) {
 			LOG(Error) << "error loading shaders\n";