Going to the gym has always been important to me. No matter the time or day of the week, whenever I have free time, I try to fit it into my schedule. However, during my freshman year, I was bummed to learn that the Stanford gym closes at six on the weekends. That may not seem like a big deal for some, but I typically work out at night. Therefore, I missed my gym time during the weekend unless I completely changed my workout schedule. 

Villanova has four gyms that students can access around campus. The Davis Center is the biggest gym with the most equipment, located by the Finneran Pavilion. The Davis Center also has the best open hours from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Sunday. Throughout the second semester of my freshman year, I went to the Davis Center often because it accommodated my late-night workout schedule. However, I also used to live in Alumni Hall, and now I live in Jackson Hall on West Campus. I am really trying to avoid walking 15 minutes to the gym, working out and then making the walk back. So, my solution would be going to the closer gym, which is Farley. This is where the problems arise.

Farley, Stanford and McGuinn gyms all run on the same schedules. Monday through Thursday, they are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, they are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This means the gym closest to me is closed during the hours I like to work out, which is usually around 10 p.m. on any day of the week. I understand the gyms can’t be open 24 hours, seven days a week, but why can’t the other three gyms run the same schedule as the Davis Center for consistency, no matter where one lives on campus? 

I understand most people do not work out very late at night; for example, at the Davis Center, when I go from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m., there are only a few people. However, if the other gyms extended their times from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week, they would likely see people during those hours wanting to get their workouts in. The gym hours should accommodate every workout routine, even if it is a less popular time than a morning or afternoon workout. 

Many students feel strongly about gym hours on campus. 

“I want more time,” sophomore Sydney Barhite said. “The generic times just don’t work for everyone, especially for someone like me because of my rigorous schedule with engineering.” 

“The hours are actually set for a very specific reason,” said junior Grace Manion, who offered her insight as a worker at the gym. “They take the data to see who comes to each gym, and since they are empty at certain times, they haven’t lengthened the hours. There also aren’t enough staff to cover the hours.”

If one is frustrated with the gym hours, it seems like it won’t be assessed anytime soon. Students can only hope Villanova hires outside staff to cover the hours some people are yearning for. For now, I guess I will be making the trek to the Davis Center if I want to continue my normal workout routine.