By Devin Rank

The University of Maryland closed gyms Sunday, leaving students with limited options for staying active while sequestering in place.

UMD issued a sequester-in-place order on Feb. 21 after a spike in COVID-19 cases, resulting in many campus facilities closing, including gyms. Gym facilities, including Eppley Recreation Center, Ritchie Coliseum and Reckord Armory, are closed and will be through Feb. 27.

Students are now required to stay in their dorm rooms, apartments or houses as much as possible and may only go outside to get fresh air, according to an announcement sent out by UMD.

With limited outdoor time and no access to the gyms, students may begin to feel isolated from the outside world and campus life. 

Arden Madden, a sophomore public relations student, said she understands the reasoning behind the gym closures, but she had to change her lifestyle in response.

“Going to Ritchie improved my lifestyle at school. Especially because everything is online, it allowed me to get out of my house and be in an environment that pushed me to exercise,” Madden said. 

Madden said she would go to Ritchie Coliseum two or three times a week. Now that Madden no longer has that choice, she said she decided to start following short workout videos from her bedroom floor. 

Madden said she knows the new routine is not ideal, but she finds herself less stressed and more motivated when she exercises. 

Mary Kate Crawford, RecWell’s Associate Director for Programs, has a passion for athletics and exercise because of the valuable benefits it provides. Crawford said that she can’t speak for every student and their intention behind going to the gym, but she knows how beneficial it is overall. 

Crawford acknowledged that heading to a gym is no longer an option. Her best advice for students is to utilize the virtual fitness classes the RecWell website offers. 

It may be easy to forget to move when students sit on Zoom calls all day, but Crawford highly encourages being intentional with breaks. Crawford was an athlete herself and said she is a strong believer in the idea that exercising will help with the rest of one’s day. 

“Even doing a couple of jumping jacks can be helpful,” she said. 

Junior Gabrielle Woska worked as a part of the facility and staff at Ritchie Coliseum. Woska is double majoring in hearing as well as speech and dance. 

As a dancer, Woska knows the importance of staying active to maintain her mental health. She said she has found that the more active she is, the less anxious and depressed she feels on a daily basis. 

Prior to the pandemic, Woska never really went to the gym, but she said she has gotten into the habit of going, even if it’s just to walk on the treadmill. She said she is struggling with the closure of Ritchie Coliseum because it was a way for her to make money, and it helped keep her moving. 

“If you are sitting around all day, it’s only going to make you lazier,” Woska said. 

Crawford says RecWell will evaluate its reopening after officials hear about testing results from this week, but until then students could be left with fewer ways to blow off steam.

Featured image: Students could sign up for appointments to work out at Ritchie Coliseum before the sequester-in-place. While they wait for gyms to open there are few options for physical activity. Photo by Devin Rank.