SRSC maxes out after the holidays

There are 60 days from the start of the second semester to the start of spring break.\nSeveral events mark those 60 days in between: the bulk of second semester, the height of basketball season and, as regular visitors of the Student Recreational Sports Center know, the peak of the fitness center's popularity. \n"It's a lot more crowded," said freshman Jessica Ward. "I can't even get on the ellipticals right now."\nJunior David Bouchie, a frequent SRSC visitor, remembers a similar post-break phenomenon last year. \n"From now until after spring break, it gets a lot busier," he said. "After spring break it starts to decline."\nWhile one may think the increase of people would decline soon after the spring semester begins, statistics from last year suggest otherwise.\nRegulars of the center should expect the influx to reach its peak during February, said Chris Geary, director of programming and research for the Division of \nRecreational sports.\nWhile there was about a 28 percent increase of people between November 2005 and January 2006, February is typically the busiest month, Geary said.\n"At the start of second semester (in 2006), we got 3,000 new members," Geary said. "Last year we had 76,000 visits in January and 93,000 in February." \nThere are multiple factors for\n the increase.\nOne is that as the temperature declines, the people who go inside to use the center's facilities rises. After the influx of people during the cold months, the number declines as the weather gets nicer, Geary said.\n"I think people make a promise to themselves to go every day when they get back," said senior Eric Jordan, an SRSC employee. "Then people get caught up with school and it starts to decline." \nNew Year's resolutions to lose weight or to exercise are reasons the center becomes crowded, said Ryan Cowart, a regular visitor. He said many come to get in shape in time for spring break, which begins March 10. \nJunior Becca Nowacki is among those regularly visiting since the start of the spring semester. \n"I went once in a while the past two years, but I just started going more often after break," Nowacki said. "I made a New Year's resolution and I'm also going to Cabo (San Lucas, Mexico) for spring break."\nAlthough the increase of students may be frustrating for the more frequent users, Geary said the SRSC uses the increase as an opportunity to try to keep the new users to coming back.\n"We understand that the first weeks of each semester are busy. That's when we have our welcome events," Geary said. "We make sure that we have extra staff there handing out water, giving out popcorn and letting the students know that we're here for them"