A handful of students gathered in a room at the Illinois Street Residence Halls in Spring 2001. Returning home at 4 a.m., three of the students decided to go inline-skating. During their skate, the three were kicked out of the Assembly Hall parking lot, as well as a nearby Steak ‘n Shake. Exhausted from their midnight skate, the students arrived home at around 9 a.m. The friends vowed to continue their late-night rambles, and the Inline Insomniacs were born.

Today, the Inline Insomniacs are a Registered Student Organization with membership exceeding the hundreds. Club officials do not know how many skating participants have joined over the past few years, because they welcome any student who is interested in skating that evening.

“Anywhere from eight to 80 people might show up on any given night,” said Stephanie Haddad, Inline Insomniac’s president and senior in FAA. “We set our current record last year when 84 people turned up one night. That was quite an impressive sight.”

Haddad has been the president of Inline Insomniacs for four months, but has been skating with the Insomniacs for the last three years.

“We’re just a group of kids here for fun,” said Haddad. “We like to move, and we have sleep disorders,” said Haddad, jokingly.

Watching the skaters gathered at the foot of the steps of Foellinger Auditorium for their nightly journey, the group appears as a close gathering of both friends and complete strangers who really enjoy skating together.

The club’s routes remain relatively the same, with adjustments only to incorporate new destinations. Each night’s skate maintains a theme or set destination in mind, from practical stops like restaurants, or tongue-in-cheek destinations such as Champaign’s Church of Scientology Mission, 312 W. John St., in Champaign.

“We have a sense of humor, and we like heading to some unusual places,” said Haddad. “It livens up the skates (because) who wants to go to the same places all of the time?”

The Inline Insomniacs actively welcome skaters of all skill levels and backgrounds, which allows for a wide range of skaters.

Many current Insomniac skaters are students who loved to skate at a young age and are now rediscovering the hobby, said Jennifer Talley, sophomore in LAS. Talley added that she has been waiting for this type of opportunity but was unable to find a group.

Having your own skates is not necessarily a requirement to joining the Inline Insomniacs, as many members have extra pairs that they are willing to let new skaters borrow. For some members, it’s not even necessary to have any pair of skates, period. John Phillips, a senior in LAS, says he just follows the group on his bike, along with several other nonskating bike riders and runners.

“I don’t own rollerblades, I tried to use them a few times and almost killed myself,” said Phillips. “So I am more than happy with the bike, and it’s great exercise! I usually run on a treadmill but that’s just boring, it’s much better to go out and get exercise with your friends.”

In the minds of the Inline Insomniac members, the camaraderie of the skating is a major attraction.

“When you get here, you meet so many interesting, different people who like to be awake during this time of night,” Haddad said. “Once you experience it, the people you meet make you want to come back.”

The Insomniacs make annual appearances in the Homecoming parade and sponsor a stretch of concrete pavement on the south side of Foellinger Auditorium. The club does its part toward keeping their section of the path, which is also the club’s home turf, well-cleaned.

It’s midnight on Tuesday, and the Inline Insomniacs are about to begin tonight’s skate.

“Meet you at midnight,” says Haddad, echoing the unofficial motto of the group. They hurtle off in a line, around 40 skaters streaking down the Quad, some singing, until they disappear around a corner, bound for another night’s adventure.

For more information on skate schedules, consult the Inline Insomniacs Web site at http://inlineinsomniacs.illinexus.org/.