Douglas Burns
Staff Writer
The beginning of the New Year means the creation of New Year’s resolutions for many people. Some are more specific; some are very general. The majority revolve around health, be it physical, mental or emotional. The gym can fulfill all of these for some. For students and staff alike, the Kaplan Centre is the most likely and most convenient destination for exercising.
Following the New Year, it is well known that the gym experiences an uptick in people who have decided that it is time to work off the inevitable debauchery of eating way too much chocolate and drinking way too much wine over the winter holiday break.
Kristin Key, a senior who works at the front desk said there has been a huge uptick in people.
“Usually during the night shift…after the students get out of class.” She went on to say how it affected her. “It didn’t really affect me because I do the group exercises, and they have their own space away from everyone else.”
But just how does this flood of determination affect people who populate the gym on a regular basis? The majority said that it was annoying or disruptive to their routine. According to Brendan Stauffer, a sophomore, people who make their New Year’s resolutions to visit the gym more don’t really stick to their new-found determination to work out for long.
“Usually they [New Years Resolutioners] flood out after a week.”
Others just planned their routine in a way that got them away from the influx of people. Junior Jasmine Perry, did just that.
“There’s definitely an uptick in people who come here after New Years” she said. “I tried to come earlier, because I knew it’d be full at night. There’s nothing available, and the only thing available are the classes.”
Dr Randal Elder, the Department Head of Accounting comes to the gym on a regular basis, but he also plans around the student rush of the gym by coming in earlier hours of the day. “I didn’t notice any influx mostly because I strategically plan to come when it’s not busy. The afternoon is busy.”
The lack of availability that Jasmine mentioned seemed to be a prominent point that the students and staff spoke of. For most, this would be an disruptive or counterproductive. But for Patrick McCarthy, a junior, he saw the problem in a different and perhaps, more positive light.
“There’s a huge uptick in people after New Years. Every bench is taken and every piece of equipment is taken at around 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.,” Patrick said. “It’s annoying, but there’s a lot more yoga and stretching going on. That’s a positive for me, because it gives me the inspiration to go and try new things at the gym.”
Patrick said that his New Year’s resolution was to do a lot more cardio, and the fact that all of his usual haunts had been taken by an influx of new people meant that he had to find new ways to improve his fitness.
No matter what year it is or the geographical location, it appears that the gym will always receive a flood of new visitors. Most are those that are feeling sorry for themselves after the holiday break’s eating and drinking habits that take a ritual toll on their body; others are simply returning from their hometown and want to get back in to working out. And yet, more are just picking up where they left off before they left for winter break. Regardless of why these people make the decision to work out more, it will affect everyone in the gym differently. It may just be the case that it will affect people in the positive way that Patrick McCarthy sees it, or it may be the how it affects the rest of the regular occupants of the gym; New Year, same old ritual.
Categories: Sports
THE CAROLINIAN 
Leave a Reply