The Benilde-St. Margaret’s parking lot is a war zone. With students scrimmaging to get their favorite spot, fights break out and ruin the concept of “One BSM.” This issue is not found simply in the senior lot but also in the Beth El one as well, causing frustration and anger among the upperclassmen.
Junior lot:
Being a junior and having to park among the newly licensed sophomores creates a lot of tension. I personally have been driving for over a year now and have completely understood the seniority of the parking lot from the very beginning of my driving journey. The juniors should be able to fill in the first rows without any issue of sophomores being parked there.
This year specifically, as more sophomores get their licenses, tons of juniors are being kicked to the neighborhood and side streets. The sophomores are completely oblivious to the rules of this parking lot, choosing to take many people’s spots who have been driving to school for over a year. I understand some people don’t get here until later, but the juniors shouldn’t have to be kicked to the streets.
All juniors driving to school pay full price for a parking pass, half of the sophomores only have to pay half price due to only driving to school half of the year. If you just got your license yesterday, you should not be parking in the very front row over some of the juniors who have been able to drive before sophomore year even started. The expensive pass shouldn’t have to be seen in the neighborhood.
The sophomores do not recognize seniority in the parking lot. A junior having to park in a parking spot in the very back of the lot after getting here at 7:40 is unacceptable. A sophomore can show off their 90 degree back in skills in the very back of the lot instead of the very front row. When I was a sophomore I understood my place. The new drivers have blown this issue out of proportion and shouldn’t be parking in the spots the juniors earned.
Not to mention the weather’s impact on the parking lot. Walking from the back row, you stumble across way more puddles. Navigating the parking lot after a big rainfall can be very difficult and a right of passage for the sophomore drivers.
Senior lot:
Becoming a senior comes with a lot of privilege, within these comes a new parking lot. Yes, we don’t have to navigate the treacherous cat-fights of the Beth-El lot, but it still comes with its own problems: the unassigned-assigned parking spots. I always park in the same section of the parking lot, close enough to the school but far enough for a quick exit– what I consider the “sweet spot.” If I arrive two minutes past my usual time, however, I find that my row is taken up, and I become banished to the worst spots.
Many seniors also have free hours first. With all the spots being taken up, they have to park in the bad spots or might not even get to park in the senior lot.
In addition, juniors who can’t find a parking spot occasionally will park in the senior lot, taking up even more spaces away from us. I have waited for this lot for 3 years and will not have it taken from me.
What would solve all these problems, you ask? Assigned parking spots. The juniors could get the front half of Beth El, while the sophomores could fill in the parking spots in the back due to the fact that most don’t have their licenses at the beginning of the year. The lot could also be split sophomore-junior with different passes given to the grades. Overall the sophomores need to learn seniority and learn the unwritten rules. For seniors, it would solve the problem of running late. Not only would it stop the problems we have, but it would even provide fun little benefits. At other schools, there is a tradition called “chalk-your-spot” or “paint-your-spot.” BSM may have tried to implement this, but how are you supposed to “chalk-YOUR-spot” when it’s also 30 other people’s spots?