Those who head to the Student Recreation Center are focused on the workout ahead, but deciding how to keep their stuff safe can be equally as important.

While some just leave their bag at home and bring only the essentials, many students find it easier to keep their belongings safely in a locker while they break a sweat.

“A lot of people don’t want to carry their gym bag,” said Amy Allen, who is the coordinator of customer relations at the Student Recreation Center. “They have the option to leave their stuff here.”

Most use the half sized lockers to stash their stuff because it’s free and convenient. If you don’t have a lock of your own you can purchase one for $5 at the desk.

Deissy Ibarra, biology major, said, “I probably wouldn’t because I’m not consistent.” Ibarra brought her own lock to utilize the free lockers.

A locker double the size is available for $45 a semester, which includes towel service and a lock.

To some a larger locker is necessary so they don’t have to bring their belongings to and from the gym each day. For others, a locker isn’t even something they’re worried about.

“I don’t mind carrying a few things in the gym with me,” said Brittany Stobbe, Biology Major. “I usually just leave my stuff in the car.”

When asked if she’d ever rent a locker for the semester, Stobbe said she probably wouldn’t because she was saving for other things.

The pricing of locker rentals and guest fees were settled upon with student budgets in mind. “The pricing has always been that price since we opened,” Allen said. “Most of our pricing is really low.”

One of the services offered at the Recreation Center is towel service.

All guests of the Recreation Center are required to have a towel with them while they work out. Towels are $10 a semester and visitors receive a fresh one to use each visit.

“It’s definitely a good service to have,” Allen said.

Although the Student Recreation Center has been open since February 2006, there are still misconceptions about the gym.

A common misnomer among students, Allen said, is that using the Recreation Center is free to students. “Every student that comes to school here is actually paying for the Recreation Center.”

The Recreation Center has increased its visibility among students. They have a booth at each Dog Day’s to educate students about the gym and now more incoming students are taking more advantage of the facility.

With the provision of lockers, towel service and the equipment, the Recreation Center functions much like local gyms, only you already have paid for it.