On January 1, thousands of Americans vowed to make this be the year they put down the beer and started hitting the gym. Though putting down the beer may be taking it a little too far, it is definitely fair to say the majority of Quinnipiac students are sticking to their resolutions and making the enduring effort to get in better shape.
For anyone who has visited the Fitness Center in the past few weeks, it is more than obvious how crowded it has been. From waiting for free weights to getting trampled by herds of runners on the track, the congestion doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon.
“During the first weeks it’s constantly busy all day, 9 a.m. until dinner,” said Katherine Merzheuskaya, a fitness center employee. “Everyone is getting ready for spring break and trying to keep up their resolutions.”
On a normal weekday, students should expect to wait around 30 minutes for a cardio machine. This factor however doesn’t always accommodate with students busy schedules.
“Between classes and trying to have some free time, I don’t always have time to wait an extra half an hour to use the equipment,” confessed elliptical addict Julia Bucchianeri. “I transferred here from a huge state school and the gym there was never as busy as I’ve seen it be here.”
Freshman Dana Robin added, “It’s intimidating enough to go to the gym. To have it constantly be crowded and worrying about if someone else is going to be waiting for the machines I want to use makes me almost not want to go at all.”
For those with specific times needed to workout, the Fitness Center allows you to sign up for a machine up to two hours in advance.
“It’s much more convenient to sign up for a half an hour slot and know that I’ll be able to use the machine that I want, when I want,” Bucchianeri said.
For those who are looking for a quieter workout period, the weekends seem to be the best solution.
“People are usually recovering on Saturdays and Sundays,” Merzheuskaya said. “If you come any time between 12 and 4 p.m. you should be able to get a machine no problem.”
Merzheuskaya said that during the week people are still figuring out their schedules so they don’t have as much work as they normally would. She believes that in a few weeks it should die down.
Other alternatives to getting in shape for spring break include participating in intramurals, doing some cardio outside such as walking or jogging, or attending some of the classes offered. Some examples include kickboxing, cardio sculpt, and yoga. These classes are also extremely popular however, so signing up about 20 minutes in advance is suggested.
