Start of semester prime time for student fitness
Students who made New Year’s resolutions may have already taken a guilty trip to Marble Slab or gradually stopped going to Strom. And those who are trying to maintain their fitness goals might not do so after spring break, when gym attendance typically decreases.
“In our group exercise classes, the attendance usually drops by at least 25 percent after spring break,” Charles Anderson, fitness director at Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, said.
However, Anderson added that some attendance for prime-time classes stay consistent throughout the semester.
About three-fourths of Americans make resolutions at the beginning of January, but by the time February rolls around less than half are still going strong, according to a survey conducted by the University of Scranton.
Spring break is from March 4 to March 9 this year. According to Anderson, gym attendance declines after spring break because, in many cases, “looking good for spring break was the goal.” Students also become busy with exams and end-of-the-semester activities when they return to campus, he added.
Spikes in overall attendance and class sizes indicate that students view both the new calendar year in January and the new academic year in August as opportune times to set new fitness goals, according to Anderson.
“The two busiest times of the year are at the start of both semesters,” said Anderson. “The first four weeks of the fall semester, and from the first week of second semester until spring break.”
Anderson and others hope that students can turn their New Year’s resolutions into lasting, healthy lifestyles.
“Even if the motivation at first is just for spring break, maybe they will get hooked and continue year-round,” said Anderson. “Students need to take a long-term view of fitness. The habits that they develop now will have a major impact on their health many years down the road.”