A s a commuter student, I find myself going through a constant struggle to find good parking spots. The
hunt for a close spot is even more intense with the winter
season in full swing. Nobody wants to trek across campus
in below freezing weather bundled up, looking less than
glamorous. But let’s face it, trying to get a spot in the coveted C1 lot is nearly impossible, especially if you are
not on campus before 7 a.m. This being the case for most commuter students, we are forced up on the hill behind the Cintas Center. And what do you get in the middle of winter on top of a hill? A nice freezing wind tunnel to fight through on your way to class. But, like most commuter students, I have learned to love the C2 lot and have accepted my place atop the hill. So imagine my reaction when I head to the parking lot one morning and find that all the spots are taken or blocked off by large orange cones. This is supposed to be a commuter lot for commuter students to park in, but somehow I find myself desperately seeking any prospect of a spot way in the back of the lot. As I am passing the C2 lot, even the C3 lot with no sign of an empty space, my anger grows. When I finally park, bundle up and head to class, I stop to investigate. Who are these cars taking up my parking spots? They do not have commuter stickers in their windows and they don’t have Xavier bumper stickers, so
who are they? I’ve come to realize commuter lot only sometimes means commuter lot. Other times it means visitors and event parking, too. Being a poor college student, I recall having to shovel out seemingly countless dollars for my parking pass, so that I can claim my spot, but high school students with their parents can park in my spot for free? Forcing me, the one paying to park, to hike to and from my car while the visitors get front row seats to the day’s events. So I ask, where does the loyalty lie: to potential incoming freshmen and basketball ticket
holders or to the people that are here day in and day out, rain or shine (the students)? Being a commuter student is hard enough. You often feel like you have no connection with Xavier life. You have no home base on campus
and sometimes you don’t even have a spot to park your car. However, I have yet to see a day where the residential parking lot has been blocked off or used for other purposes.