The ARC Needs to Shape Up
Tom Baudin | Oct 18, 2009 | Comments 10
As a frequent gym-goer, I appreciate UCI’s enormous complex of exercise equipment for my muscle-building needs. With that being said, I’d like to bring some matters to attention. First of all, the handprint scanners have to go. Yes we get it, it’s futuristic and cool, but this isn’t 1982 and I think we humans ought to be secure enough with our current level of technology and just accept the simple process of entering a pin number. The handprint scanner never quite works right and always makes you place your hand a second time and then annoyingly wait for it to let you in.
And another thing, those buttons are unacceptably difficult to push. As they practically stab your fingertips, their abuse seems almost deliberate. It just seems like they’re somehow mad at you as they practically stab your fingertips with their needless sharpness. As for the snack bar, a cashier once charged me sixty-one dollars for a bottle of water by mistake, then proceeded to take about five whole minutes of my time to rectify her catastrophic error.
On the occasions in which the bar was closed, I was redirected to the vending machines, which were, of course, stacked with nothing but the most ruinous junk food. The tempting offering seems all too ironic for a place designed specifically to facilitate good health. How about adding some power bars next to those Doritos? And at the very least they should offer Gatorade as a healthy alternative to the fruit juice calorie bombs. Another pressing irritation is the snack bar’s arbitrary closing on weekends. All I want is a power bar to get me energized and, of all the weapons of mass destruction for your gut they could fit into the vending machines, those didn’t make the cut.
Speaking of vending machines, the receptionists ought to be allowed to give change when you have nothing smaller than a twenty. I cannot explain how irritating it is when you’re practically drowning in sweat from a two-hour workout on a weekend when the bar is closed, and the only thing keeping you from a sweet, aquatic refreshment is another arbitrary and obstructive little regulation. That brings me to another point; the water fountains are entirely useless. The rate at which their water flows out is almost mocking, as if they enjoy your mummy-like state of dehydration. The flat-screen televisions hanging from the ceiling and the walls make for a great distraction when you’re pumping your circulation on the treadmill, but why must we suffer through the agonizing tease of reading subtitles that move slower than Paris Hilton on the GRE? As I recall, the YMCA gyms have built-in television screens with headphone jacks, and they sometimes even provide the headphones.
Would that be so reasonable an alternative than to have those useless, hanging decorations? The positioning of the television sets raises yet another issue: being exposed to whatever happens to be on. The other day I was on the treadmill, in which case my straight-staring head was helpless to whatever happened to come on TV., and to my shock, I saw a scene in which a woman was applying peanut butter to a naked, middle-aged man’s genitals and calling the dog to lick it!
I assume that if any offense were to outweigh all others, this would be it. Can we all agree on the inappropriateness of exposing unsuspecting gym-goers to such trash? You shouldn’t have to turn your head and make an effort to avoid being disgusted by whatever low brow drivel hits the airwaves. An employee should have taken it upon him or herself to turn it off.
Lastly, the unavailability of towels is a needless frustration. Whatever is being done to renovate the laundry room couldn’t possibly be so drastic as to eliminate the gym’s towel-dispensing services. Having a towel to free yourself of pungent sweat ranks somewhere in the range of constitutional rights as far as gym-goers know. If you don’t believe me, take a look at workout acne.
Tom Baudin is a third-year political science major. He can be reached at tbaudin@uci.edu.
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Honestly Tom, you have some real issues. Why complain about a place you can’t change? You are only one person who has all these different complaints about the arc. If you don’t like what the arc has to offer then just don’t go there, go to some other gym that fits your needs. And really just like mister “LOL” says you should be more mad that the arc doesn’t have equipment to make your fingertips stronger. I really don’t think you are the best person to be complain about the arc let alone any kind of exercise equipment or the type of food that they have. I’ve seen you around campus and oh boy you really aren’t the person who should be complaining, if anything you should be glad the school has provided the arc to people like you who think their better than others when in reality you really aren’t all that. If you’re wondering how I know what you look like, I searched you up on facebook and I have seen you around campus. You really don’t look like someone who works out or eats very healthy so all in all I think you need to shut your mouth, take a deep breathe, look in the mirror and think about what you should REALLY be complaining about. Honestly buddy you look like your about to die of starvation or kill someone just because you have a complaint in your mind. I’m sure everyone who has replied to your article can agree with me once they see what you really look like on facebook as well as in person, oh and please take a shower I walked passed you on the ring road and you smell so bad!
The whole complaining about the arc thing needs to stop. Especially if it’s coming from someone like you. I know you’re probably gonna try to get smart with me while you reply to my post but think about it, if you were really that smart you would have given the staff at the arc some feedback so that they could provide better service in the future in stead of posting and article trying to make the arc look bad when you yourself look horrible. Get it through your head that the arc does it’s best to provide the best service for their customers and if you have a complaint you should have taken it to whom ever runs and owns the arc as well as the school. Please be real here Tom, you know as well as I know that you honestly are not the best person to be complaining about the arc. You should take a step and look at yourself before you start trying to make the world a better place. Try making yourself better first, I’m sure that would please you as well as everyone around you.
The fact that you have the time to write an article complaining about the arc shows that you don’t really have a life outside of UCI. As for me I’m taking time out of my schedule to post my thoughts because I’ve gotten all my work done and don’t really feel like going out. You know, unlike some people who stay in their rooms all the time. Oh by the way I just thought you should know that I would never take anything you say seriously and I would never take any kind of advice from someone who doesn’t take care of themselves very well, like you. So get your head out of the clouds and get back to reality, you should not be complaining about the arc. You should be thanking them for even letting someone like you inside the arc for even 5 minutes. =)
This concludes my post for the day, if you have any smart remarks you would like to make towards me about what I have posted then go right ahead, but honestly it will just prove that whatever I have posted and whatever everyone else has posted as a reply to your article, has definitely had some kind of effect on you and made you feel hurt. Or to put it simply, we struck your nerve, or pushed your buttons. This is the real world Tom, we all have opinions of our own and you should have known that you would get some negative replies. I’m looking forward to whatever you may have to say to me. =D
Your Truly,
ROFLMAO
Looks like tom’s been on your mind for quite some time
The buttons are unreasonably unpleasant. I don’t see what’s wrong with that complaint
“And another thing, those buttons are unacceptably difficult to push. As they practically stab your fingertips, their abuse seems almost deliberate. It just seems like they’re somehow mad at you as they practically stab your fingertips with their needless sharpness.”
all i have to say is hahahahaha. really? buttons are an obstacle course? life must be really tough with all those cell phones and tv remotes. you should be more mad the ARC doesnt have finger workout machines if anything.
“Do not criticize an employee’s mistake. Why do you not show them how it is done, if you felt you lost out on five minutes of your time.”
I can’t believe a college student wrote this. Why not show them how it’s done? Why the hell do I have to do anything for their incompetence? Let alone something I’M NOT TRAINED TO DO BECAUSE I’M NOT AN EMPLOYEE. You’re saying I lost five minutes of my time as if I I’m overreacting. If you can’t understand why that’s incredibly annoying then there must be something wrong with you.
No I did not “imagine” anything because I’m not a retard.
What is wrong with the Arc? It is better than other schools. It is well maintained and have friendly workers. In addition, targeting a person’s personal business is just being immature. Especially when you are being a hypocrite, yourself.
The scanners in the Arc are convenient and user friendly. I do not find it annoying because you do not risk losing your ID card in the gym. Plus, it gives you the option to use the scanner or your ID card. If you find it annoying, do not use it.
As for the televisions, you cannot expect the school to spend OUR tuition money to buy cardio machine with television. As long as the equipment is well maintained and clean, that is all we can ask for. If the television bothers you, head up stairs and use the machines by the track. There is no television distracting you, unless you find people running on the track field next to you distracting. In short, you are at a loss. Also, what were you inferring about the graphic images you ‘saw’ on the television? Are you sure you were not imagining it? Schools in general have high standards in what is allowed to be shown on school property. If you are referring to the Ads for “Girls Gone Wild” on Blu-Ray, it is shown after hours, not during Arc hours.
Regarding the Snack Bar, be happy our school have one. Do not criticize an employee’s mistake. Why do you not show them how it is done, if you felt you lost out on five minutes of your time. ‘Junk food’ is proven by experts to be useful in providing the body with required energy after an intense workout. Therefore, by the grace of Allah, it is a necessary evil.
If you have further criticisms, why bother going to the Arc? There is a 24 hour fitness gym conveniently located across the street, in the University Center.
Finally, what is with the Pirates of the Caribbean quote? Do you have a girl, mate?
“Are you there to workout or to watch TV? Why do you even need to watch the TV if you’re working out. Shouldn’t your concentration be on gaining muscle or losing that spare tire you have around the waist?”
A perplexing statement given that the tvs are specifically meant for people who are in fact exercising.
Ans you need to get yourself a girl mate
Those are some fightin words! Lol
I find it slightly creepy of you to actually send me hate mail for some dumb post written months ago…
2.5 servings of 20 calories doesn’t sound like 290 but hey I’m no math wiz
I don care much for the tvs but aren’t they there to keep people from getting bored or are they just expensive decorations?
God if you knew how much I ate you would NOT be questioning the effectiveness of a long period of light cardio lol
thank you for the kind message!
Love,
Tom
oh, and try not to be so observant of others, finding out their names and obscure Internet posts etc
Tends to be kinda creepy…
I am a member of the ARC and i see no problems what so ever. If you really can’t get the hand scanner to work then bring in your ID. The point of the hand scanner is so that multiple people don’t share a single membership.
Gatorade… the healthy option? Did you know that gatorade has 290 calories per serving compared to 100 calories in a serving of coke. It also has 1230 mg of sodium compared to cokes 35 mg. That much sodium is only neccesary for someone doing intense cardio training which i doubt you are doing.
If it’s such a hassle that the water fountains are “mocking” you then why not bring a bottle of water with you. Albertsons is only a minute down the street.
As far as towels go, at 24 hour fitness it is required that you bring your own towel if you plan on working out. I know for a fact that the ARC was in the process of purchasing and installing a new washer and dryer system. Therefore they could not provide you with a towel because they have no way of washing them after you leave it on the counter and refuse to throw it in the bin like everyone else does. By doing that you subject the employees to the sweat and whatever disease that you may have because now they have to touch your towel to put it in the bin.
Are you there to workout or to watch TV? Why do you even need to watch the TV if you’re working out. Shouldn’t your concentration be on gaining muscle or losing that spare tire you have around the waist?
Lastly Tom, if you feel that these obstacles are too much for you to overcome then i suggest that you find a new gym that will cater to all of your needs. I’m sure that many other members of the ARC will agree with me, that it would be a much better place if you would take your so called 2 hour workout else where.