John Wooden Center is the place to be

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Do you ever find yourself sitting in your dorm or apartment, bored and trying to find something to do? Have you been on the search for a new and spontaneous activity? Well, look no further than the John Wooden Center on campus. Not only is it a full gym but it also has a rock wall, a hub for commuters and even a martial arts room!

When you first enter the John Wooden Center, or JWC, you’ll be overwhelmed by the number of activities being done at the same time. You will see students exercising on treadmills, rock climbing and doing solo workouts in one of the many rooms. You will also see a huge set of stairs that will take you to the second floor where you’ll find a lounge for commuters and many rooms that can be reserved.

Cody England, who recently graduated with degrees in chemical engineering and applied mathematics, would unwind after classes through rock climbing. JWC doesn’t only have one rock climbing course, but three to accommodate beginner, intermediate and advanced climbers. So even if you’ve never climbed before, make it your first time at JWC!

Besides rock climbing, England would spend a lot of time studying in the game lounge at JWC where he enjoyed its “secluded atmosphere while looking out at the center of life at UCLA,” says England. The game room can be found on the second floor down the hall from the campus life office. It is free to use but it is also available for reservation if you ever need a place to hold meetings or presentations.

On the second floor, you can also find the BruinHub, which is a space for commuters to study and spend time when they aren’t able to leave campus yet. It has charging stations and reservable pods for napping, and if you’re a commuter, this is a great place to meet other commuters and a great study spot for when it rains!

If your preferred mode of transportation is bicycling, then you know repairs can be a hassle. Lucky for you, JWC has a bike shop that functions as a do-it-yourself repair shop. You’d be given tools, space and resources to make your bike like new again.

Jordan Wang, a third-year student majoring in chemical engineering, says he mainly uses the facility to attend competitive sports meetings. The meetings are held in the Plaza View conference room which he says “provides one of the best views and lightings on campus.” The conference room is one of the many rooms available for reservations.

Besides equipment and rooms, JWC offers a wide variety of fitness classes. Wang believes these courses are a “great leisure activity to meet other sports-liking students and exercise outside of school.” If you need to release some exam angst, there are martial arts classes that can be taken in the Blue Room. If you do decide to go to the gym, make sure you let off steam in the sauna! Gavin Mazur is a second-year transfer student who enjoys participating in the judo classes at JWC. He wishes more students would take advantage of these classes because there is something for everyone.