The Lion’s Den: a thriving hot spot within the Guillot University Center where any student can go unwind in a calm environment full of video game consoles and other recreational outlets.

“I come here all the time,” said freshman Austin Byrd. “I’m in here five days a week. I usually stay for about an hour and a half.”

The atmosphere in the game room makes it a place students want to be, Byrd said.

“I like to come in between classes and at lunch time,” Byrd said. “I also can come in here to meet new people because the people in here are always friendly — especially the workers.”

Kayla Wade, an attendant for the game room, finds most of the people who come to the Lion’s Den are regulars.

“The people at the computers come every day, the people at the Xbox come every day and the people on the PS4 come mostly every day,” Wade said. “I know people by first names, last names, and I could flip them around and look at their feet and still tell who they are. Pretty much every single person here comes here every day.”

Wade’s job description includes assisting students as well as keeping the equipment safe.

“I check people in, and I make sure they don’t have holds placed on their cards because if they do we can’t let them in because we can’t trust them with our equipment,” Wade said. “If there’s a game they want to play, I give them the game.”

Student behavior is important for maintaining a fun and safe environment, Wade said.

“If they get too rowdy we have to make people leave,” Wade said. “There have been a couple of times that it’s been intimidating just because there are people that aren’t very nice about things. I’ve actually had to do it two times, but one time I had my boss with me so it wasn’t so bad.”

Freshman James Gasque considers himself a dedicated regular.

“I play Smash Bros. with (friends) or sometimes I just play games on my handheld,” Gasque said. “I do homework a lot in here too. (The game room) has everything that I like: computers, video games and music.”

The game room also seems less crowded than other parts of campus, Gasque said.

“There aren’t as many people in here as there are out there,” Gasque said. “It’s a little bit more calm. It’s really a better place to hang out, and all my friends come in here too.”

Junior Lindy Burkett, unlike the other game room visitors, said she doesn’t really play games.

“I don’t come in here very often,” Burkett said. “My phone was dead and I needed a charger, which they always have in here. I haven’t been in here to play games before, but I have charged my phone a few times before.”

The game room isn’t a place she could imagine herself frequenting, Burkett said.

“If I had a group of friends who didn’t mind coming in here with me, I might hang out in here more,” Burkett said. “I would be more likely to use the computers, though, instead of play games.”