I probably spend entirely too much time frustrated by things I can’t seem to control, but if you’ve ever been a student at the University of Kentucky, you know what a monster the parking situation is on campus. I’ve spent probably more time on the phone with the university parking authority in the past two months than I have with my boyfriend to put it into perspective. My last-ditch effort to get a campus pass before forking over hundreds of dollars to a business lot was futile and the lady I spoke to was just plain rude. “What? Can you hold?” is the actual response I got, followed by 15 minutes of being put on hold, with no music might I add, to which I was told “Honey, you could call here every day for a year and I couldn’t answer your question. That’s above my pay grade.” I asked if passes for a certain lot were sold out…. -__- I totally get the fact that your job probably sucks because thousands of angry individuals call you daily angry about the lack of parking, but customer service is your job and I just asked a simple question. Excuse me while I vent my grievances:
- There are a few different types of parking at UK: Employee, Residential, Commuter, Stadium, and Service. Despite working 2 jobs and 40 hours a week at the university, I am not eligible for an Employee pass. As a commuter who now lives a significant distance from the school, I am eligible for the C lot pass – for which I promptly logged on to apply the day the window became available to find no new applicants were being accepted. Thumbs down. Per my roommate who bit the bullet and bought a Stadium pass (in a land far, far away), there are not enough spots for all students issued this pass, and she was forced to pay to park after driving in circles in the lot for 20 minutes before work. YAY COLLEGE.
- I work 8am each weekday morning. I’ve gotten in the habit of arriving to campus at 7am (I could be sleeping) in the hopes of locating one of a select few spots on the street available near north campus. Despite my fun-sized car, I fit nowhere on the streets surrounding campus. In fact, due to neighborhoods issuing residential passes to the residents of houses near campus, there are even fewer sides streets than in the past with the option of street parking. So, unless I’d like to park Precious near the next closest major road and walk 45 minutes to and from my car each morning and afternoon, it’s a no-go.
- Parked illegally? I hope you can afford a $25 ticket. And you will definitely get one — the little LexPark minions drive up and down campus side streets on their segways dying to catch violators. Can’t pay the ticket promptly? That fine doubles within two weeks of issue if not paid.
- Don’t worry, I’ve called every apartment complex and landlord with a mile radius of my office tower. The cheapest pass offered? $450 and I was given less than 24 hours to decide if I wanted it and to pay. Oh sure here, let me give you my entire paycheck, my arm, and my first born son. My current gamble is on a lot in close proximity to my office. The catch? $300/pass. PER SEMESTER. The man who gave me the details on the lot hung over my driver’s side window with a cigarette in his hand blowing smoke in my face while taking my money for the daily fee. If I didn’t work two jobs, I really have no idea how I could pay my bills, buy books, park on campus, and, I don’t know, live a little bit. This has become more stressful than my actual academic course load. What?
- The university did an awesome thing this year and made the LexTran (city bus) free to ride for all college students. Just for kicks and giggles, I plugged in my address to the route finder on their website. The route from my apartment to my office is a whopping hour and 41 minutes. Meaning I would have to catch the bus around 6am to be at work by 8. I think I shed one lone tear. Don’t get me wrong, I love my apartment (that’s just 3ish miles from campus), but there were days I wish I lived closer. Frankly, what I pay for how nice of a space I live in compared near-campus housing costs and frequent shambly spaces, I’m saving a pretty penny.
- Lexington is a unique city with a massive college campus situated nearly smack dab in the middle. Solutions? Stop letting freshmen bring their cars to campus. If you’re going to continue building enough beds to house the entire freshmen class to keep them concentrated on campus their first year, don’t give them space to park a car that will take them OFF CAMPUS. I’m not convinced, however, that even if all the Residential passes were revoked, that there would be enough spots on campus for commuting students (the majority of campus).
- The moral of the story? I’m going to buy a giant lot one day near a college campus and create one big concrete jungle for students to park in. I’m going to charge $8/day and make semester passes something insane like $400 because students will pay that out of desperation. Okay, so maybe that’s immoral and won’t happen, but it’s the easiest, best paying job I’ve heard of in quite awhile.
This post has been brought to you by the First World. It is an honor to be able to attend an instituion of higher learning, and I am forever grateful and indebted to the University of Kentucky for the opportunities they have provided for me. Privilege checked; let me whine.
Get rich or die tryin,
Sarah Alexandra
P.S. In lighter news, here’s an outfit that is campus/work appropriate that I don’t mind galavanting around campus to and from my various parking spots in. Enjoy!
Get the Look:
Dress // Old Navy // $20
Necklace // Forever 21 // $5
Booties // Frye // $300
Bag // Old Navy // $9 (clearance) + $5 for monogram
Earrings // Charming Charlie’s // $7
Rings and Bracelets // Pandora
