Every School Deserves an RPAC Gym

By Rubina Kapil on July 11, 2013

I walk in through the glass doors to a scent that seems to be a mix of freshly made pasta, sandwiches, and sweat. Ahead and above me are students on the elliptical. To my right, some students eating lunch and chatting, while others are on their laptop getting work done. As I say hello to the student in uniform and swipe my BuckID, the lack of motivation I had to workout about 10 minutes ago is gone.

For those who are still confused, or those who are not fortunate enough to be at The Ohio State University, I’m referring to the RPAC (Recreational & Physical Activity Center). According to www.recsports.osu.edu,  the RPAC was “named an Outstanding Sports Facility by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA).” Not only this, but it has become one of my favorite places on campus throughout my college career for several reasons.
Firstly, the size. I mean have you seen how big the RPAC is? With more than half a million square feet of space, you will never come across the problem of not enough equipment. There are treadmills on every floor, machines on several floors, and other activities all throughout the facility. Waiting for a treadmill or machine will never need to be a concern.

Not only this, but the RPAC is open and available for students, faculty, and community members. However, there are many added benefits available to OSU students. These include free entry into the RPAC at any time, free day lockers for one’s items, and free group fitness classes offered every day of the week. These features are also available for non-OSU students, but at a price.

Lastly, the vast variety of opportunities available at the RPAC serve to benefit people at many different fitness levels. There are group fitness classes that vary in difficulty, from easy to extremely challenging. This includes bicycling, kickboxing, Zumba dancing, etc. There is a swimming pool, lactation room, massage therapy, a Kids Zone, and much more. To put it simply, there truly is something for everyone.
We often acknowledge that there is an obesity problem in America, but fail to make progress to change that. I believe that although OSU has given great importance to health and wellness by developing a strong facility for the community, many other universities have not yet recognized the benefits of doing so.

By having a facility such as the RPAC with its many features and large size, students are encouraged and motivated to change unhealthy habits. They are motivated to use these resources, exercise, and thus improve their overall health. I truly believe that by providing your students with something as great as the RPAC, long lasting changes can be made. Every student truly deserves a facility such as that at OSU. But then again, I guess we can’t all be Buckeyes. Go Bucks.

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