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The recent renovation of Warner Hall has created a great new living space for students, with a clean lobby that contains pool, ping pong, a tv, and various areas for students to relax and study. However, the same cannot be said for the basement of the building. It is a large storage space filled with clutter, with no other place to go. Most of it being dorm accoutrement, clothing racks from the now-closed Swede Nation Station bookstore, and other miscellaneous items that either need to be thrown away or sold. This space, though, was not always like this; in the past in housed the social work department, mental health services, and other offices for faculty and staff.
As a student, finding out this area was completely unused and instead used as a storage area was disheartening. We have plenty of areas on campus where students want to meet but sometimes cannot because they are pre-occupied with other events happening. So, I have produced some ideas of what the Warner Basement can be transformed into to support the student body. The first proposition is turning this space into a student gym, that is separate from the athletics building. This space would offer gym equipment for the student body who do not participate in athletics and alleviate the athletic building. They would be offered a space where they just had to show their student ID to prove that they are eligible to participate; and if community members wanted to use the gym, then they could for a membership fee, which would help pay for the gym equipment. The area could also host a smoothie or a protein shake bar that could be paid for through dining dollar on students’ meal plans or directly with cash. Both the front desk and the bar could be run by student workers who would be paid from the Federal Work Study (if they are eligible), allowing students to study and get homework done during calmer parts of the day.
These separate gym facilities are extremely popular and useful at other institutions in the United States. Creating safe spaces for both athletes and non-athletes to be able to go and work out without the fear of being kicked out 5-minutes into your workout (believe me I have experienced it myself.) Along with letting individuals of all identities feel safe and comfortable to work out, it is super important to stay healthy during college. Equally as important, a gym is a place to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. In an article from the National Library of Medicine, The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed, by Dr. Lynette L. Craft and Dr. Frank M. Perna, it is stated that exercise and the alleviation of clinical depression have a direct correlation: “Depressed adults who took part in a fitness program displayed significantly greater improvements in depression, anxiety, and self-concept than those in the control group after 12 weeks of training” (Craft and Perna, 2004). The group tested did aerobic exercises (swimming, dancing, stationary bicycling) and it was discovered that they made lasting improvements that decreased their mental health concerns that was longer lasting (at the 12 months check in) compared to the controlled group that just did basic exercises not inside a fitness program.
With that study in mind, could you imagine the benefits of having a separate gym for students, that did fitness programs and was open for 24 hours? We could see an improvement in mental health with students on campus AND attract students who might usually not go to the gym. Plus, I am sure that there is a donor who would be interested in funding a project like this with our rich history in sports that benefit mental health and education. At the core of this, that is what going to the gym is for students, a way to relieve stress and alleviate other mental health problems. Having this space that is inclusive of all that can be used by all at any point in the day would be extremely beneficial for Bethany campus life. Creating an area for students to relieve stress, while staying healthy, and not having to worry about being judged or kicked out of the gym just because an athletics team is present.
Craft, Lynette L., and Frank M. Perna. “The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically
Depressed.” Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry vol. 6,3 (2004):
104-111. doi:10.4088/pcc. v06n030
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