New Year’s resolutions can bring a new focus, goal or objective into someone’s life. At the Student Recreation Center center, New Year’s resolutions have brought a major increase in the number of students choosing to use the facility.
“It’s always an increase in January because usually that’s when people make their resolutions, but it usually dies off after people get tired of trying to fulfill those resolutions,” said Corrie Allen, a junior majoring in exercise science and Rec supervisor. “It usually does get busier in January and right before spring break when people want to get their beach bodies.”
“This semester especially there’s been a whole lot more people,” said Marcus Williamson, a junior majoring in accounting and a Rec employee. “There’s always a rush after the holidays, but it just seems like there’s a pretty good bit more people [this semester], and it’s a lot of new people too that don’t normally come here.”
The Rec has proven to be a busy place during all hours of the day. According to Williamson and Allen, there is an increase in each area offered by the Rec, including classes, weight machines and the aquatic area.
In fact, usage of the Rec has been high for the past two years, according to the University Recreation Year-End Facility Utilization Report. The report found that the number of SRC visits by students in 2009 totaled 496,654, with unique visits by 23,425 students. In 2010, the total number of student visits was 508,203 with 24,719 unique visitors, or 81.7 percent of total 2010 enrollment.
“I think, especially this semester, after we’ve had the long break, New Year’s resolutions and getting ready for spring break are why more students are coming to the Rec,” said Mary Katherine Honeycutt, a freshman majoring in dance.
Smoothie King, located inside the Rec, has also noticed customer growth.
“It’s always way busier at the beginning of the semester anyway, but especially with New Year’s resolutions and then all of the new students and everything, it gets pretty chaotic,” said Adrian Matherson, a Smoothie King employee for the past two years. “You see people walking through from 7 when we open until we close. The New Year’s resolutions and spring break do a lot for [increasing numbers at the Rec].”
With more people choosing to use the Rec, there has been a higher demand for lockers, causing more people to rely on open cubbies to hold their belongings.
A sign posted near the entrance of the Rec alerts students and faculty of recent thefts.
“It’s a problem, but we’re doing our best to work it out and make sure we give people the option of making sure their stuff is safe,” Allen said.
“Obviously, theft is awful,” freshman Melissa Whitley said. “People should carry less stuff into the gym, but for people who bring a change of clothes, it’s not fair because they deserve a locker too.”
In order to prevent more thefts from occurring Allen said they are making a few adjustments.
“We have changed our rotations, making sure that people are keeping an eye on where most thefts occur,” she said. “We’re also opening up additional lockers for people to put their things in. We’re trying to give people as many options as we can to make sure that their stuff is staying safe and we’re actually increasing [the locations] where our staff is rotating through.”
While this spring semester has started off with a large number of students going to the Rec, it can be expected that the numbers will soon diminish.
“It’s more crowded now,” Whitley said. “But, I think that will dwindle as the semester goes on.”
