Here’s the rundown: you head to the gym, pumped for a workout only to realize you forgot your student ID. You approach the front desk in hopes that the customer service attendant will be able to look up your name. Except they don’t: they say no. You argue a little with them, in the hopes that they will just let it slide. Unfortunately, they stick to their word and refuse to let you past the lobby without an ID. You have no choice but to leave, disappointed and pissed off. It’s a stupid ID; why do they need to see it when my picture and information is already in the system?!

I’m here to tell you why. I have been working at the Rec for over a year now as a customer service attendant and was recently promoted to building supervisor (those folks in the maroon shirts walking around with an iPad). I know the policies inside and out and there are countless times while on shift when the exact scenario, as stated above, occurs.

Some people are understanding and others become infuriated: yelling and threatening to the point where I need to radio my supervisor.

I get the same arguments day in and day out. “I don’t have my ID; can you just look up my name? I have my ID number.” “Can I be signed in as a guest?” “Don’t I get one free pass a semester?” “I’m just here to practice dance; I’m not actually working out.” “I lost my ID and campus card is closed. Can you please let me in? I really need to work out.” The list goes on and on and each and every time, my response is: “Unfortunately, no.”

So, why, you ask? From day one of training, I was told that it is the University’s policy that ALL students must carry their student IDs on them at ALL times. Because this is the University’s policy, it has to be ours as well. Even if we let people without IDs through, we would be violating the University’s policy. That waiver that everyone had to sign even states that you must have your ID in order to be let into the building.

You cannot be signed in as a guest because you attend the university and therefore you are a student, not a guest. And that whole ‘free pass a semester’ was eradicated after the gunman on campus incident took place. If you are entering the gym, past the lobby, you need to sign in because what happens if another potential shooting takes place? We won’t know who is in the building. You will be unaccounted for. It’s a liability issue and we are not just a Rec Center but a business as well, so we need to cover all of our bases.

We get it. Forgetting your ID and not being let in is obnoxious. It happens to the best of us, but there is nothing the employees can do. If we let you in, and you get hurt, we can lose our jobs and, no offense, but that’s not worth it to us. So please keep this all in and mind and respect it. There are rules for a reason and as adults, we hope you can understand that.

Put yourself in my shoes. Would you break some important policies at your work place just because someone made a mistake?

It sucks for us too when we have to turn you away; try to keep that in mind. So, please ALWAYS have your ID when you come to the gym and everyone will be happy!