The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Have a positive outlook when adapting to campus parking

    Some of my fellow college students would probably say that one of the most satisfying parts of a day occurs when you get an “A” on a test that you crammed for, find out that your debit card didn’t decline while buying food or get to finally sleep after a long day. These things are true for me too, but I find the greatest satisfaction in being able to find a parking spot that is close to my classes and/or on-campus job. 

    This is my third year on campus. So naturally, I have heard and given my fair share of complaints. Lately, one of the top complaints on campus has been dubbed the “parking situation.” I do agree that finding a parking spot on campus is not ideal. It never has been, but maybe we can all try to find the good in a situation that we may not be able to escape as soon as we would like to. 

    Obviously, the spots closer to buildings on campus fill up very easily, especially in the morning. Sure, it’s easy to blame the change on construction, a necessary component to a developing institution, but this “problem” will not be going away easily. However, there are so many solutions to what’s going on.

    I’m the type of person that will leave the house at the last minute if I can get away with it. But even I have fallen into the habit of arriving 30 to 40 minutes before class or a shift at work so I have time to circle around campus. Eventually, I always find a spot. 

    There are some important lessons to be learned from this change on campus. I partly chuckle at these because although they are the truth, they are coming from a lazy person. 

    First, we could all stand to get to campus earlier than usual.

    Secondly, it’s not the end of the world if we have to walk a little further to get to spots on campus. I’m sure that it’ll be beneficial to our health in the long run. 

    Third, get a hold of your temper. Please do not honk horns or yell at your fellow students, administrators, etc. because they got to a spot quicker than you. This is not a challenge of the “Hunger Games” variety.

     Fourth, please follow basic traffic rules. One of my major pet peeves about parking in a parking garage has not been the walk from there, getting lost while exiting on foot or having to circle around to find a spot. It has been the fear that someone will hit me because they aren’t using their headlights in the darker areas or entering/exiting in the wrong direction.

    If none of this work for you, start a carpooling system with friends or co-workers. Try to find areas close to campus that are safe to park at and walk to and from.

    Remember, parking on campus has never been completely without ease. Stuff happens. Personally, the only time that I was without worry about parking was during my freshman year. 

    I had to park by the University Center as a freshman commuter for the majority of the day and ride shuttles around campus. Sure, I complained about this at first until my older co-workers at The Lion’s Roar reminded me that when some of them started school, shuttles weren’t available and that we should treat them as a luxury. I’ve never been one to shoot down a valid point, so I obliged to their reasoning.

    Nevertheless, I was very excited to complete my freshman year so that I could park in upperclassmen commuter spots. Little did I know, I would still have to walk distances that I was not in favor of and wake up earlier. Still, I felt some sense of pride knowing that I had the reward of parking on south campus.

    I realize that changes can be hard. Having to do something differently that you have been doing for the last three or four years is not ideal, but it’s a reality on campus for us. 

    Administrators on campus are making several plans to improve parking by adding more housing and parking spaces. About 60 parking spaces will be available behind Sims Memorial Library in the upcoming weeks. The area where Twelve Oaks was will become a parking lot. 

    After speaking to Division for Student Affairs Vice President Dr. Eric Summers, I felt somewhat sympathetic for students who were stressed out about parking changes. 

    “If you’ve been here for two or three years and you’re used to parking in a certain spot and now there’s competition for that spot, then you will see it as a problem,” said Summers. “For some students, you get to your senior year and they’ve been able to park in a certain area for three years. I can understand that they would see that as a problem. When there is progress, there is pain. We apologize for the inconvenience as we complete this process.”

    Head of Transportation Services Gary Prescott views Lion Traxx and North Oaks Park as solutions to overcrowded parking lots. Prescott admits that since the first day of classes, the shuttles have reportedly transported about 1,800 students a day. 

    “If you park in North Oak Park, it’s a three-minute walk to the closest shuttle stop at textbook rental,” said Prescott. “Worst case, it is a ten minute wait for the bus and five minute drive to campus. Although it may be inconvenient for the individual, it is still quicker than circling a lot for 30 minutes and getting frustrated.”

    Truth be told, there are a lot of issues on this campus that I cannot possibly address in one opinion. Let’s rally together to fight for unity, protest hate and be as kind to others as humanely possible instead of constantly complaining about parking. 

    If there is ever a time that you truly cannot find a parking spot, contact the University Police Department or University Parking Office. They are here to help. 

    Until then, deal with this “problem” the only way that our university can. We are masters at adaptation.

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