By Montreal Spencer/south news editor
Usually, parking during the first week of school is the most congested time of the semester.
Students tend to drive around for several minutes after arriving on campus to get the best parking spot available.
South Campus student Charles Gray is not one of these students.
“You already know there is no parking in the front, so I just go straight to the back instead of wasting gas and time,” he said. “The walk is not that bad. There ain’t nothing wrong with my legs.”
With five TCC campuses, students handle parking situations in different ways.
“I had to park in the grass yesterday when I got here at 9 a.m., and there was already about 30 cars parked there,” said NE Campus student Cathy Bucci.
It’s not just the early morning class students who have trouble finding a convenient parking spot. Afternoon students have a hard time finding parking, too.
“It really sucks anywhere you go,” said NE Campus student Shana King. “I normally have to park toward the back even when I get here pretty late in the afternoon,” she said.
SE Campus students also have trouble finding a parking spot.
“It’s very crowded and it’s frustrating,” said SE student Ashley Bryer.
For SE student Melody Kirby, parking is not that much of an issue.
“It doesn’t really bother me at all. I just park and go to class,” Kirby said.
Some students fresh out of high school such as South Campus student William Lewis believe parking is not bad.
“It’s easier to park here then it was in high school,” he said. “I find a spot as soon as I get here.”
Parking can become more of a problem when students are running late and arrive to class late trying to find a spot.
South Campus student Amy Norwood has been in this situation.
“I could not find a parking for like 10 minutes, and I was late for my first class,” she said. “Then everybody looks at you when you walk in late, and it’s embarrassing.”
However, students say after the first couple weeks of school, some students begin to drop their classes. This makes it more convenient for students to find parking.