Parking lot, it’s not me; it’s you! Our space is a bit suffocating, I don’t want to get out of my house really early just to get a spot for the day.
Ah, the school parking lot, a place every student dreams of driving their car in until they get their driver’s license and realize it’s less of a “true love” and more of a “toxic relationship.” For many years seniors have felt the toxicity of this relationship when it comes to finding a good parking spot in our school parking lot. Throughout the years, our parking lot has been misleading students, making empty promises, leaving students clinging to the hope that things might finally change. Spoiler alert, things might not change.
Like any bad relationship: things look perfect from a distance, but I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of complaints about the struggles between finding even a semi- decent spot. Our parking lot isn’t full of green flags, there are a couple of red flags that many of us students would label as commitment issues. No matter how many times we have tried fixing, fighting, or advocating for more spaces, each year we are stuck with another year of more cars than spaces. But of course like in all toxic relationships there’s only so much complaining and not much moving forward when it comes to having a better relationship.
Let me give you a perfect picture of what our relationship counselor Mr. Devlin, the Principal of JCHS, gets to hear repeatedly during the span of his counseling service. It is good to keep in mind that the parking lot holds only 160 spots but with 220 seniors, 200 juniors, and faculty members, it is like a “hunger games” competition to claim a spot in the parking lot. I would say it’s truly a toxic cycle. Students arrive early hoping to get their “best spot,” only to find it’s already been taken. To say that finding a parking spot with our current parking situation is like battling in war to find a spot is an understatement. Many seniors now are scared to even imagine what it could look like to find a spot by the end of the year with the increase in junior parking. As expected the parking lot is mysteriously silent on this whole issue!
With all relationships comes conflict, some end badly, but others persevere and come out victorious, after this two year parking crisis we the students will finally get our space!!!
