"Welcome back Students!" Oh yeah, there's an over used phrase if I ever heard one! But a college town is a college town, which means that: Every. Single. Business. Is going to be perkily welcoming back students and opening their arms to the new ones. Campus and near by Housing will be greeting students with great big "Welcome back Students" banners... specials... parties... and extravaganzas! All this increase in student population on our campus also means we have to expand.... and with expansion comes *less parking*.
Day 1: I hit campus full force that day. As soon as I was within 2 miles of school I could smell *them*... Freshmen. The entire campus reeked with the stench of Freshmen. I caught the green light for the second of the two roads leading to campus and just beat the late morning in-comers. As I turned at the light I could see vehicles crammed into the turn lane farther then I could see, waiting for their light to turn green. I shot down the road and turned onto campus. Bumper to bumper... and that's an understatement. They were all fighting to get down the the campus' middle parking lot. I knew better. I quickly made my way to the parking lot between the road and the library. I soon discovered that during the break between semesters the construction crew, constructing our new performing arts building, had managed to rob us of even MORE parking then they had already taken. Not a single parking spot stood open and desperate students were parked along the curb: tickets waiting to happen. But this was no big deal, I knew the secret to getting a parking spot. Patience. Me and a few other vehicles circled the small lot, they were probably looking for a spot that someone had magically overlooked. Not gonna happen. It was 9:40 now and my class started at 10:00. Another couple of students lost nerve and parked along the curb. Then I saw them: there was maybe a handful of them. Free students. They walked into the parking lot and made for their vehicles like ants desperate for their anthill. I turned down an isle and saw a vehicle's backup lights come on. I rushed over and left him just enough room to back out, I was already blinking. That's when the other one came. It was a little rinky-dink car from the other direction. They probably figured I wouldn't be able to fit my truck into the spot and were waiting for me to surrender so they could claim it. As soon as the parked vehicle was out of my way I pounced. One flawless swing and I was perfectly placed in my new parking spot... my new *shaded* parking spot that is. The car drove away. I laughed. That poor unsuspecting Freshman... she thought she would get an easy spot but I had news for her: I can fit that huge '93 Ford F150 into places she can't even dream of getting her car into! She hasn't been driving long enough and she's new to campus. She has no clue yet.
Day 2: No class this day, just work. I work on campus though. I needed to be in my office by 8:30. I went ahead and scoped out the parking lot near my building but after about 15-20 minutes of circling this much larger lot I knew patience had nothing to win me here, there wouldn't be any free students(and there for parking spots) until 9:00. So I flew back over to my library parking lot and, BEHOLD! The entire east side of the lot was empty! I know now where I'll be parking for work this semester ;) I took a "legal" curb parking spot right next to a huge, *shady*, oak tree. I even had time to back into my new spot :)
Day 3: This would be today. Basically, I just played the same game as day 1. Drove around until free students started popping up. Don't be fooled though! I followed two students who ended up walking out of the parking lot because they lived in housing across the street. My third student I saw was a guy with keys. I watched which isle he walked onto and turned down there. I then drove right up behind him and followed him with my blinker on while he walked. (The blinker shows non-freshmen that the free student's parking spot is now claimed. Freshmen don't understand this lingo yet so you kinda have to fight them a bit.) The guy gets into his vehicle and I see another car come flying down the other end of the isle. I sit there still blinking. My guy backs out... hardly enough space for him to do so between me and my new competitor. He turns to leave, my competitor turns toward the parking spot to avoid getting hit by my guy. I don't take the chance that "competitor" won't take my spot. I whip in and snatch the empty spot. Victory! and it is also partly *shaded* :)
So yeah, we've made it to the week's midway point. Welcome back fellow students.... and welcome to the House of Parking Pain freshmen!!!!
If you're are Freshman at my school I have one *very* important parking lot tip for you. If ya' see a huge two-toned '93 Ford F150.... get outta da way! ;) Consider this a tip from a campus parking veteran :)
Until next time, park at your own risk ;)
~RebelYell
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