I love UCF’s Leisure Pool: the expansive and visually appealing recreation area is the perfect place to relax after a long day or week of classes, work, and maintaining a social life. So, imagine my surprise when I realized the pool hours are the most inconvenient for busy UCF students. Since the Leisure Pool is only open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and completely closed on weekends, the timing makes it incredibly difficult to find a break in our busy schedules to relax at the pool.
After Pegasus Palooza, UCF’s Welcome Week Pool Party, it took me about two weeks to get back to the pool. Not because I didn’t want to go, or because it was too far or out of the way, but because it was such an inconvenience to find time to go after classes and before extracurricular activities. I don’t want to go to the pool for less than an hour either—that just doesn’t make sense to me. I feel like having under one hour doesn’t really give me the time I need to unwind, have fun in the pool, eat, talk with friends, and just enjoy the moment. But because of the limited operating hours, I have no choice but to make do with the time I have, especially since I am more Type A; it’s hard to just “go to the pool on a whim.” Unfortunately, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. are some of the most critical hours of our day; we have classes or work at these times, which makes it hard to have a fun pool day with friends or even get some much-needed self-care time alone.
About UCF’s Leisure Pool
For those of us who don’t know much about the Leisure Pool, it is the recreational area beside the Recreation and Wellness Center and behind the new Smalls Sliders at UCF. As I said before, the operational hours are 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and it’s closed on weekends, which can make it difficult to find time to go. However, it is a great place for UCF students to unwind. I especially love going on a nice hot day when the water is cool and crisp! The Leisure Pool area has a swimming pool, several pool chairs, and hammocks for relaxing around the pool; there is also a decent amount of grass to play outdoor frisbee or hacky sack with friends. Even if you don’t have friends to go with, it is a great place to clear your head and take a break from the craziness of the school year.
When you can, take a day at the pool to relax. It is so peaceful. I spent a day at the pool recently, and the whole process feels so exciting to me: getting ready for the pool by picking out a cute bathing suit, packing snacks and water in my pool bag, soaking up the sun as I walk to the pool, and finally getting into the water. Even if you’re not going to the pool to swim or get in the water, you can always go to get a tan by yourself or with friends, enjoy the sunshine and chilly fall air, or enjoy a nice picnic in the lush grassy area near the water!