Parking is something many students deal with every day, but not everyone has the same experience. While some students say it is easy and convenient, others feel like it is one of the most frustrating parts of the school day.
Sophomore Bailey Zlatanova said the parking lot can get very crowded, especially after school.
“I would say that it’s very crowded. It’s hard to get out after school hours. The line takes, like, 15 minutes,” Zlatanova said.
However, not all students agree. Sophomore Candace Smith said she has had a much easier experience with parking.
“I feel like it’s pretty easy to get in and out and find a spot and leave,” Smith said.
Even though some students do not struggle with parking, others say finding a spot can be difficult, especially if they arrive later in the morning. Zlatanova said she sometimes has to park far away.
“I’ll come to school, and there won’t be any parking spots, and I have to park really, really far away,” Zlatanova said.
Junior Declan Champ also said parking can be a challenge, especially when the lot is full.
“If I’m ever late, there’s never a spot close enough, and I feel like we need more parking spots,” Champ said.
Because of these issues, students say parking can affect how quickly they get to class. Zlatanova said students often waste time searching for a spot.
“I feel like a lot of students will just drive around trying to find parking spots, and that just wastes a lot of time trying to get inside the school,” Zlatanova said.
Champ agreed, saying the lack of parking can make students late to class.
“Oh, there’s definitely an impact on arriving at school on time because if you’re late in the slightest, you’re never gonna be able to find a spot because every spot is taken,” Champ said.
In addition to time, students also say parking can affect their stress levels. Smith said even small issues, like parking far away, can make students frustrated.
“I feel like it’ll make people stressed, because if you have to park far, you have to walk a really long distance, especially if it’s really cold,” Smith said.
Champ said the parking lot is especially stressful at the end of the day when everyone is trying to leave.
“Everyone is stressed out at the end of the day because they all want to leave and nobody wants to be there,” Champ said.
Despite these problems, some students still see parking as an important part of the school experience. Smith said having a car gives students more independence. “The importance of it is, like, you got a car so you can leave on your own time. You don’t have to rush to get to the bus,” Smith said.
Many students also have ideas for how the school could improve the parking situation. Zlatanova said adding more spots would help.
“I’d put more parking spots in front of the school and more parking spots by the PAC,” Zlatanova said.
Smith agreed that more convenient parking would make a difference.
“They can add more parking spots that are closer to the entryways to the school,” Smith said.
Champ suggested a different solution, such as assigning specific spots to students.
“I feel like maybe we could implement designated spots, and that would be worthy of a fee,” Champ said.
