Parking on campus. One of the most dreaded activities of your day. You leave for class 30 minutes early just to get a parking spot. Yet, when you get there, you still have to fight for a spot.
For us commuter students, this is irritating. We pay $175 each year for a parking pass to allow us to park in commuter lots all around campus, yet we can never find any spots that are actually near where we need to be.
Last year, most of my classes were in Moore Hall’s lot 33, where everyone seems to park. I remember I left 30 minutes early from my apartment, just to find a parking spot. I drove up and down the rows of parking spaces for 10-15 minutes, still not finding a parking spot. Every time I found an empty spot, someone else fighting for a spot had already beat me to it. I tried parking next to the Music Building, but still no luck. My next closest lot was at the library, but yet, no luck parking there either. I ended up parking by the SAC, and being late to class because of parking issues. If I pay $175 a year for a pass, shouldn’t it be easier to find a parking spot?
I’ve been in a hurry so I wouldn’t be late to class. I couldn’t find a spot, so I would park in the metered spots in Lot 33 by Moore Hall. I’ve been ticketed many times in this spot. Yes, I get that they are metered spots, but I pay $175 already, shouldn’t I be able to park there if I have an expensive parking pass? If anyone is paying that much for a pass, we shouldn’t be expected to pay an extra fee after that.
For commuter students, the parking issues at CMU really ruin your day. Some of us live pretty far from campus, so we don’t have the luxury of walking to and from campus easily.
In the winter, no one wants to walk in 10 degree weather. We all want to drive. Parking gets even worse in winter months because of this. We need more parking lots, or more parking spaces.
We need to use tuition dollars and other expenses for parking issues at CMU. I believe some of the money that is used for other ‘projects’ could be used to help the parking issues we students face everyday. Less accidents, less frustration, less worry. I don’t want to drive to campus and be in a bad mood because I’m not sure if I’m going to find a parking spot or not today. I don’t want to be late to class, especially with teachers who are strict on attendance.
CMU is a big college, with many students. Over 20,000 students attend CMU every year. We do not have adequate parking for these students. We need a change.