# @phoenixloyola on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CofWlUULk0y
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/8967460-phoenixloyola-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/7a8901fcac.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-02-10T17:15:02.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** The Loyola Phoenix (@phoenixloyola) — https://gondola.cc/phoenixloyola

## Caption

Halas Recreation Center reached 2,461 entries Jan. 23, marking the highest daily attendance recorded in the past five years. The uptick in attendance has been theorized to be from higher student enrollment, weather, New Year's resolutions and TikTok trends, leaving students waiting in line to use equipment.

Megan Morris, director of Campus Recreation, said there have been 176,327 entries into Halas between the start of the school year and Feb. 3., on pace to surpass total attendance during the 2018-19 school year, the last full year before COVID-19 protocols were implemented. 

Halas has had 7,296 unique patrons enter the facility so far this school year, more than it had during the entire 2018-19 school year. All of the facility's programs, including aquatics, intramural sports and rock wall climbing, are experiencing a rise in usage.

New enrollments reached 2,867 last school year and 2,864 this year, surpassing the pre-pandemic record of 2,770 set in 2018, according to Loyola's Office of Institutional Effectiveness. 

During the early months of the year, New Year's resolutions and cold weather forcing students to exercise indoors are additional factors, according to Morris.

Maddie Kuehne, a building manager and group fitness instructor at Halas, said societal factors such as social media trends and a pandemic-era push to remain active may also be contributing to the growth in attendance.

Faith Nguyen, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said she has recently had to wait in line for equipment in both the cardio and weight rooms, a regular occurrence if she comes to Halas in the afternoon.

Morris said Campus Recreation has worked to accommodate the growing attendance and noted the weight room has undergone recent renovations to adapt to student needs. Additionally, she said Halas is available only to current students and faculty, making the Loyola community its sole focus. This distinguishes it from many college gyms which allow guests from outside of the university community.

Story link in bio.
#LoyolaPhoenix
📸: Holden Green | The Phoenix

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 340
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 7

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Loyola Phoenix | @phoenixloyola | https://gondola.cc/phoenixloyola | Newspaper |
| Nick Cruz | @nickcruzmedia | https://gondola.cc/nickcruzmedia | Social Media Manager |

## Tags

loyolaphoenix

---
Copyright (c) Gondola