An unusual occurrence has taken hold of Penn State a month into the new semester. Gyms all across campus…. ARE STILL FULL!

By this time in my three previous years here, people have usually given up on their New Year’s resolutions of getting that perfect body and only the die-hards and spring breakers are left to exercise in peace. But this year, students are still waiting in line for up to half an hour to get on a piece of cardio equipment as we move into the middle of February.

I think this is a little ridiculous. Most people will blame the lack of enough facilities on campus to deal with the demand. While there is truth in this statement, students are to blame as well.

Did everyone know that most gyms are open for at least 12 hours out of the day? It’s true! You can go to the gym at times other than between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be people there to swipe your ID! I have taken it upon myself to go late at night to avoid the colossal clusterfuck that would await me in the afternoon.

Secondly, you can get into shape by doing more than running on treadmills and ellipticals. The StairMaster is always a nice choice. You can be working on dat ass and burning calories at the same time. Also, your legs move just as well when you’re not on a machine! Use the indoor tracks that the Intramural Building and Rec Hall have to offer.

I cannot say enough about taking classes at the White Building. The instructors will have you dripping in sweat after even one of the 20-minute sessions and you’ll feel that it was 20 times better than anything you could have done on your own.

Finally, and I understand that this may be harsh, if you’ve gone a month without seeing any sort of results, maybe you should start to look elsewhere for your losing poundage needs. I hear Atkins is coming out with a lot of great stuff nowadays.