The Compass

Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: Opinion

I don't know about anyone else, but I am getting tired of endlessly driving around the parking lot looking for a place to park. It feels like I'm on a freaking Easter egg hunt and I'm searching for the prize egg. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that whenever I'm late or running a little behind I can count on not finding a place to park.
I've noticed that a lot of people are parking on the grass when they can't find a parking space. I can't say that I blame them. You have to make a choice, be late for class or pay the fine to be on time.

That's how it boils down. According to the Office of Public Safety at Gainesville State College, 1,000 parking citations were given out in 2006. At ten dollars a citation that's $10,000. It's a shame, all that money coming out of poor college students' pockets just so they can go to class.

Try not to misunderstand what I'm trying to say. I am a rule abiding individual. I understand that the school has to discourage parking on the grass. I also understand that writing citations is a key part in keeping order. However, we're not left with a lot of options. I mean, there's just not adequate parking here at GSC.

I can hear some people now, "If you don't want to drive around looking for a close place to park, you should come early." Well, it's not that easy. There are over 5,000 students currently attending the college. There are only around 2,000 parking places. Granted, not everyone has the same schedule, but that's beside my point.

Regardless of how early you are, you are not guaranteed the worm. Take for instance a few mornings ago: I had woken up extremely earlier than normal. I drove happily to the school confident that I would find a place to park. As soon as I pulled into the school, I immediately realized that I was wrong. I drove around the whole school for 20 minutes to no avail. Even the illegal places to park were already taken. I looked at my watch to see that I only had 30 minutes left before class started. So after a quarter tank of gas, I decided to give up the hunt and try the parking lot by the Continuing Ed building, which is also beside Highway 53.

I would have been better off parking across the street at Wal-Mart. (Nevertheless, I am grateful for the parking lot by the Continuing Ed building.)

I parked my car, put on my running shoes and started my long journey to school. My grandfather's story about walking up-hill both ways to school was nothing in comparison to this.

Not only was it cold, but it was also raining. Needless to say when I finally arrived at the school I was soaking wet, cold and late for class. I will be extremely glad when the school starts construction on the new parking deck.

According to Paul Glaser, vice president of business and finance, construction on the two story parking deck will begin around June of this year. The parking deck will be adjacent to parking lot J and hold over 300 parking spaces.

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