UNC Wilmington has one of the prettiest campuses in North Carolina. In addition to its prettiness, it’s full of yummy places to eat and even better student resources. One of those fabulous resources is the campus Recreation Center–a.k.a., the gym. Here’s just a few of the many reasons as to why our Rec Center is the best.
1. It’s literally always open.
If you’re unaware, the Rec Center has flexible hours so virtually every student on campus can fit workouts into their schedule. During the weekdays, Monday through Thursday, the Rec Center is open from 6:30 a.m. until midnight. Yes, midnight. Hours aren’t quite as extreme over the weekend with the expectation that without class, you can fit in gym time before the late hours of the night, but still. “I don’t have enough time!” is no longer an acceptable excuse.
2. It’s HUGE.
The Rec Center has two MASSIVE floors, housing a full basketball court, multipurpose courts and gyms, a fitness center, group workout rooms, an indoor track, indoor pool, and a leisure pool outside. Even with all of the fit kids on campus working out day and night, there’s never an invasion of personal space. There’s always enough room to do what you need to do without bumping elbows with other people.
3. The music played there is actually decent.
Before coming to Wilmington, I spent a lot of time in chain gyms like Planet Fitness. PF is my ride or die, but the music they played throughout the facility always had me shaking my head. I remember cringe-worthy dance remixes of popular songs and bad covers of hits from the early 2000s. There was never a workout where I didn’t play my own music. However, the music taste at the Rec Center is much better. I heard Drake and RiRi the other day, as well as some classic Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj. I still play my own music, but I wouldn’t feel the need to run away if I ever left my headphones back at the dorm.
4. The staff members are super friendly.
One of my favorite parts about the Rec Center is how kind everyone is. When I walk in, I am always greeted by the smiling students at the front desk. And then, after a vigorous, sweaty workout with my hair a complete mess and any hopes of looking decent gone, they wave me goodbye with a pleasant, “Have a good night!” It’s not even just the staff that’s awesome. The people who workout there are really supportive and non-judgemental, providing a comfortable exercising space for all. Working out never felt so positive!
5. The workout machine tech is out of this world.
Most, if not all, of the cardio machines at the Rec Center enable you to track your workout stats with their fancy, touch-screen technology. You can even create an account with the program the machines use and set short- and long-term goals. Not to mention, the machines allow you watch TV while you sweat. I won’t lie–I’ve spent a few workouts pedaling on the bike machine while watching Kardashian reruns.
Photo courtesy of UNCW Campus Recreation.