Being a student here at the great Florida State University, there isn’t a lot to complain about. But one of the most notorious critiques shared among the community is the lack of campus parking. Well, I’m here to offer you a new perspective and share some of the positive aspects of trying to find parking on campus.
1. It sharpens my motor skills.
As soon as I enter the parking garage I’m on a mission. Unfortunately, about 15 other people are on the same mission and these people instantly become my fierce competitors. I have to be ready to act on a moment’s notice: a lesson I learned freshman year when I rounded the corner in Traditions to see a boy walking in my direction to his car, which I’d just passed. He looked at me and pointed to his car and I’ve never reacted faster to anything. I swung my car into reverse and zoomed backward around the corner, causing my two friends who were in the car with me to shut their eyes and scream as if this was their final moment. Yes, there was a car behind me, and yes, they did have to reverse as well to avoid getting hit by me, but this spot was mine. Without being in such a high-stakes situation on a regular basis, I could never have developed such quick reflexes.
Courtesy: Kotaku
2. It provides my daily cardio.
Since I no longer live on campus, I don’t have to walk nearly as much. This has enabled my extreme laziness and as such, my cardio routine has become essentially non-existent. Here is where trying to find parking on campus greatly benefits me. Nothing gets the heart racing like extreme anxiety about the unknown. Will I make it to class on time? Will I be hit by another car speeding around the corner? Will I intentionally crash through the fourth floor barrier out of frustration? Up goes my heart rate and down goes my risk of heart disease – thanks, FSU!
3. It makes me recognize everyday heroes.
Not all heroes wear capes. Some of them just happen to be leaving campus as I’m arriving. Regardless, I am forever indebted to them. I don’t even know your name, and I’ll probably never see you again, but today, you are my savior.
4. It gets me out of bed quicker.
When my alarm goes off in the morning, it’s not my love of learning or general excitement about life that gets me going. It’s the sudden realization that it’s going to take me at least 45 minutes to find a spot for my 11 a.m. that causes me to shoot out of bed and jumpstart my day.
Courtesy: Clevver
5. It has made me more of a risk taker.
One dreaded day last spring semester, I had been trying to find parking for a solid 20 minutes and was about to be late for a presentation. I had two options: I could miss the presentation and receive a zero, or I could park in a faculty or service vehicle spot. The way I saw it, worst-case scenario I’d come back to a $30 ticket. Or so I thought, because there were absolutely no faculty or service vehicle spots either. In a panic and with no more time to spare, I ended up in a handicap spot (morally I felt okay doing this since there were several other open handicap spots and I would only be there for about 10 minutes). I didn’t end up getting a ticket (bless) but the prospect of losing $250+ was a thrill I don’t experience often.
6. It makes me a better student.
The risk of missing class due to not finding parking is very real. I once had a professor not show up to class and then later send an email saying he couldn’t find parking. Unfortunately, for students, this is not a valid excuse. And so, when I found myself already 10 minutes late to class on a quiz day, thinking about the embarrassment I knew I’d feel walking into class and everyone knowing I just missed the quiz, I decided to cut my losses and head home instead. In the moment I felt defeated, but there was a silver lining. You can bet that the rest of the semester I studied twice as hard for all assignments in that class to make up for that zero. For my study habits and my GPA, I have FSU parking to thank.
Courtesy: Pinterest