Hammocking hotels were installed around campus during spring break to encourage students to engage in outdoor life.
Located between the Williams Performing Arts Center and the College of Business Administration and in front of McKinzie Hall, the hammock hotels consist of wooden poles with hooks for hammocks.
Abbey Moses, Students’ Association executive vice president, submitted the plan for the project earlier this year.
“As SA vice president, part of my position involves equipping the students to have an impactful, enjoyable time at ACU,” Moses said. “I am always excited to have an idea, or more often, to hear the ideas of students and bring them to life.”
Each hammock hotel costs about $3,000. The entire project was about $6,000. One of the hotels was funded by two donations. Congress contributed $1,500, and $1,500 came from the Campus Initiative Fund. Funds for the other hotel was donated by the administration on campus.
One structural element the hotels highlight is the ability to hang with a number of friends at one time. Moses said she hopes to see groups of five to seven people hammocking together and sharing in community.
“I think there is a great opportunity to be able to hammock not only by myself, but also surrounded by my friends that also have hammocks,” said Rachel Dillon, junior kinesiology major from Waco.
Students on campus have begun exploring the hammock hotels, but are unsure of what they think of them.
“I like the opportunity that is presented with having the poles,” Dillon said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to get more people outside and be able to enjoy hammocking.”
On the other hand, some students view the poles as unnecessary.
“The trees around campus are great for hammocking; there is no need for these poles,” said Anna Beasley, senior kinesiology major from Chattanooga, Tennessee. “Hammocking is all about getting outside and enjoying nature, so it seems counterintuitive to set up poles in order to hammock.”
Depending on how students react to the poles will determine the future of the hotels.
“If it is not a popular location on campus, we will analyze that and move forward in finding new ways to engage students in nature,” Moses said. “It is all about how to serve students.”
