Don’t make parking such a woeful experience

Whether today is your third day of college or your third year, you know finding a parking space on the Wichita State main campus is a battle each day, usually one that is lost. 

With the Rhatigan Student Center being renovated, one of the parking lots is now being used as a giant dirt pile. 

With most of the parking lots across campus now filling up by 8 a.m., it’s going to take a true early bird to get the worm during this semester. 

Of course, you could spend your time getting frustrated and complaining about it, but that’s still going to leave you without a parking space, isn’t it? 

Something that I always think to myself while watching students circling the parking lots, like vultures in the desert, and others nearly crashing into each other over a spot is, “You know there are other spaces elsewhere?” 

I believe I tried once to get a closer space, but found myself just burning up time and gasoline when I could have already been inside, cooling off and waiting for class. 

By plugging in my ear buds and listening to music on my iPod, the walk across campus seems more like exercise than an inconvenience. 

I think I may be revealing some classified information here, but I’m willing to help you out getting to class early, without you having to walk in late each day.

The obvious choice is to arrive early, whether it’s an hour or even three, if you have to be close to the building.

Something I try to keep in mind is the staff of the various buildings around campus, so I would sacrifice that closer parking space for one that is further back for their convenience at the end of the workday.

Now, if you want to avoid most of the hassle of parking, I recommend a spot near the baseball field. 

That lot has yet to fail me for an open space, just allow yourself time to walk to where you’re going, that is, of course, unless you like to run to class.  

Something to keep in mind is the designated parking areas that require permits or are not designated for students. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard fellow students complain about how they weren’t aware where they parked and had a parking ticket to show for it. 

In case you don’t know how to check, the designated permit parking areas are marked with a sign with yellow on it, while open parking lots are marked with green.

Now you know what to do the next time, in hopes of making it feel less like a battle and more of a chance to embrace the whole college experience, instead of driving in circles.