The Student Recreation Center has had a noticeable increase in visitors due to the upcoming spring break.
Student Recreation Center student supervisor Stephanie Hillman said the increase in student and faculty use of the SRC begins after winter break in January. This rise in visitation causes students to have to wait in line to get into the building, only to then wait for machines to open up for them to use.
People come to work off the weight gained during the holidays, as a commitment to a new year’s resolution or for those trying to prepare “beach bodies” for spring break.
“From January to spring break there is a huge increase in terms of the amount of people that come in to use the rec center,” Hillman said. “I would go as far as saying probably a 300 percent increase in people during these months than any other time of year. It is always crowded.”
In terms of volume of people, before January and after spring break, the number of student visitation goes down.
“The weather I’m sure has a lot to do with this,” Hillman said. “Students can go outside to work out, walk or run without having to come inside the building. I would think participation is down after spring break because of this. If not, then it is because there is no longer an incentive to come in.”
Freshman Josh Kelley said he goes to the SRC on a daily basis because he likes to look good and feel good about his appearance.
“I started going to the rec a few weeks before spring break because although it’s busy then, I anticipated even more people come through within the few days before spring break actually starts,” Kelley said.
Freshman Taylor Kleman has noticed a lot more foot traffic at the SRC in the past couple months.
“The treadmill and cardio area once were available to users, but now are always occupied by another student,” Kleman said. “It’s the machines that are used for people to tone up but not exactly put on muscle.”
When machines are occupied Kleman said it is a little frustrating to have to wait for others to finish their workout.
“If I’m not standing by and waiting for a machine, I’ll either hit the sauna or go play basketball,” he said.
