knox-+public+space

Homework 2

Public Space 1-31-11

I went to the Student Rec Center and observed what people were doing. At first, it was chaos. It was hard to get a feel of the gym because there was constant movement. However, once I really sat down and watched, it became obvious that there was a pattern. There are different sections in the gym: a weight room, an aerobic room, a cardio room, and 4 side by side basketball courts surrounded by a track. For the most part, the different sections were divided up gender. The weight room was 99% men. The aerobic room was majority women. As for the cardio room, it was even with men and females on the treadmills or bikes. Finally, the basketball courts were filled with guys playing a pickup games.

After observing the Student Rec Center, what I saw suggests that people like to stay in shape and look good. It is obvious though because in today's society, men and women need to mold themselves into this ideal image. In college, everyone is dating and trying to meet new people. I believe that people want to look good while doing this. The Student Rec Center is filled with people trying to get healthy and obtain a certain image.