Parking and Optimus Prime

This happened last week, but a lot has happened and I forgot to post it: 

Today was an interesting, yet unorthodox day. I wouldn’t say that I learned much, other than the fact that 20 minutes is not enough time to get to class.

I woke up before my alarm went off to the loud buzzing of a text message arriving. I keep my phone on my headboard so it shakes the whole bed frame when it vibrates (Note to self: Find a new place for cell phone at night). My boss, Nichole was asking if anyone could come to work this morning because, at the daycare, they were out of ratio for children to teachers. They needed one more person in Nursery 2.

Now, I don’t have class till 11, but I needed to go to the library to find an article. Feeling guilty I thought through my options. I could go to work and skip homework (Yeah Mom, I know. The homework that I should have done on my three day weekend...) or tell Nichole that I was busy and get my stuff done.

Well, I decided to try and do both. I had thought of an idea for an article when I was going to bed last night and quickly hopped out of my warm sheets and pulled out my magazines. As an avid day care teacher and babysitter I always keep a large stack of Parent Life magazines laying around. Thank God I do because in one of them was an article that I could use for my class. Hallelujah praise the LORD!

I told Nichole that I could work till 10:30 which gave me 20 minutes to get to class. Pulling on the nearest tshirt and slashing mascara on my still groggy eyes I dashed out the door.

I went to work and it was pretty uneventful. I played with a few kids and then put them down for nap. That’s what I love about working at a daycare- the naps. While it is sometime’s hard to get kids to lay down, or calm down for that matter, I just love watching them sleep. Kids are completely different beings asleep and awake, and I love how one frustrating kiddo can turn into such a serene baby if they can get their eyes closed.

Anyway I realized that 10:30 was quickly approaching, and feeling nervous I excused myself, clocked out and ran to my car. I drove to school, praying that there would be a parking spot. I hadn’t ever gotten there that late and I knew that I might have to hike from the back parking lot.

When I got to school I felt my stomach drop. Not only were there no spots available in ANY of the commuter parking lots, but there were at least 20 cars winding in and out of the rows of all four. If you do the math that’s me against about 80 other frustrated people trying to park in spaces that DON’T EXIST.

I wrote a letter:

{Dear Tarleton,

If you would like record breaking attendance I would suggest you first make sure you have room for those students. Not only was I “invited” to “move off campus” but now I can’t even go to class because there is nowhere to park. I drove around with a CARAVAN of cars today, looking for parking spots. If someone did pull out of their spot, someone further up the line would take their place, leaving me red faced and clutching the steering wheel like it was a lifeline.

Here’s an idea- instead of paying people to sit on their butts and pick weeds why don’t you hire someone to build a parking garage. I don’t care if the campus looks pretty when I’m RUNNING TO CLASS!

If you don’t fix the parking lot (or lack thereof) you might not have record breaking attendance next semester, because all of us commuters might be inclined to go to a different school, that at least pretends to want us there.

Yours Truly,

Every commuter that was late for class}

Yeah... I’m a bit upset with the situation. And I don’t think I’m the only one. I’ve heard numerous people saying that there’s not enough room. 

If this continues I will find a way to fuse myself into a transformer. That way when I roll up to school I can just convert into a robot and walk into class without having to find a spot to park.