by Everyone wants a good parking spot on campus; a spot where the walk is not so far, where one can easily avoid the rain or glaring sun, and where leaving campus is quick and easy. Those kinds of spaces fill up quickly by those who have the earliest of classes. To make matters worse, almost all of the other spots are filled by 10:15, forcing those who arrive for classes around noon to park in the grass, or what NCC calls the “over-flow” parking. The “over-flow” is not great for parking, especially when it’s raining. The walk alone will leave you soaked and miserable, not to mention trudging in the wet grass and mud. There’s a better solution than to park in“over-flow” and here’s how:
Be early:
According to one student majoring in Radio/TV, who’s name will remain anonymous, it is best to leave for class early. Leaving for class early gives a better chance of finding a parking spot than if one were to rush to find a spot five minutes before class. Also, it is recommended that one leaves a half hour to 45 minutes earlier than the first class. This allows for extra study time before a test, a restroom break, a chance to grab something from a vending machine, or hang out with friends. The earlier it is, the better the spot.
Be aggressive:
There are many aggressive drivers out there. If one of these drivers sees an opportunity to get a good spot, he or she will try his or her hardest to get that spot.
Amanda Glorioso, an English and Secondary Education major, does just that.
If you happen to be running late for your first class and it’s sometime between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., you may be able to find a good spot because people will sometimes go out to lunch off campus; leaving you to find an open spot. Also, rather than leave for lunch, stay on campus and eat at the food court or bring a bag lunch. The food court provides good food and there are plenty of places to sit down and chat with friends. That way, your spot is safe.
Unless you have a set routine each day that guarantees you a spot each morning or afternoon, then stick to that routine. These tips should help make that routine easier. You may not be having much luck getting that once in a lifetime parking space that is up front, away from the rain, and has easy access, but hopefully the parking situation will improve as the semester goes on.
