Entering my junior year at Binghamton University, I was filled with feelings of ambivalence. I would face classes that are — or at least should be — harder than anything I’ve taken as a student, I would start the second half of my undergraduate career, and huge life choices and responsibilities would be getting closer and closer.
But not everything would be so bad. I’d be seeing good friends I haven’t seen for a few months, the timing of my classes would be a little more lenient and my classes themselves sounded more interesting than the average college seminar. And above all, I was excited to move into a cozy suburban home with five friends on Harvard Street.
Ah, the perks of living off campus: no nosy resident assistant, no noise complaints, foregoing Sodexo’s food tax by cooking my own meals and a room to call my own. There was a lot to look forward to. What sealed the deal and made my freedom concrete was the ability to bring my car up and cruise all over the Triple Cities.
What could go wrong? I’d be speeding around the Brain as girls tried to contain themselves when I passed by in my beat-up 2000 Chevy Cavalier, rocking my sunglasses and blasting National Public Radio. I’d then proceed to drift into Lecture Hall and use the momentum to propel myself through the driver-side window and somersault neatly into my Monday afternoon class.
Unfortunately, my vivid dreams were far from the nightmare of the reality I’ve faced.
I mean, things started off pretty well. I could go to Walmart to buy food, condoms and toothpaste, all while observing the menagerie of strange people who frequent the place, all at my own leisure. No more waiting for buses that run at arbitrary times and may or may not show up.
But things quickly took a U-turn for the worse.
Let’s just say that after circling the Brain twice, eventually making my way up to the outer regions of Lot M, barely finding a parking spot and making it to my first class by the skin of my nose, I was wrong.
Now, I understand there’s a lot of construction going on and some more lots will open up after it’s finished, but I don’t think they’ll even help.
The parking situation in Binghamton is fundamentally flawed. Even if new major parking lots were made, they’d be around the new Newing buildings, which are some of the farthest from the main academic buildings, aside from Hillside Community, which is where the current major parking lots are located.
Secondly, there is an overabundance of handicapped parking. It would be really nice if I could park in Lot A when I have orchestra rehearsal, considering it’s right next to the Fine Arts Building, but a majority of the lot is taken up by handicapped parking spaces that are always empty. I mean no offense, but I feel as though their parking needs are already adequately met.
Speaking of spots that go to waste, why aren’t students who have parking passes allowed to park for free in parking garages and things of the like? We have these huge structures and they are usually barren and go to waste while students are forced to circle like vultures in Lot M.
Now, I’m sure nothing I’ve said is new, but it’s new to me, dammit. Nevertheless, if it’s been a problem for such a long time, why hasn’t it been fixed? It’s cute that our campus is shaped like a brain, but maybe it’s not the most conducive shape for adequate parking.