With the constant noise of horns honking, students bustling, and traffic whistles blowing, it’s no wonder the students of Loyola Academy find it difficult to navigate their school’s parking lot.
At 7:45 in the morning, Loyola’s lot is packed to the brim with parents dropping their kids off, students parking their cars, and staff directing traffic.
At 3:00, it is the exact same thing all over again. This endless cycle of drivers in a constant hurry is a recurring theme in the lots of Loyola.
Creating a parking system seems like no easy task, so it’s natural for there to be hiccups throughout this parking situation. Unfortunately, this layout causes many concerns within Loyola’s students as some have extracurriculars or responsibilities that require them to be elsewhere.
As a user of the Loyola lot myself, I can say that it is a work in progress. It’s not always going to be perfect, and it doesn’t always have to do with the layout of the lot; rather it has to do with the people within it.
Needless to say, I am not alone in this opinion. Many other students – be if they are experienced or new – share my view on this tedious issue.
Whether it is going to service, a sports practice, or picking up a sibling, the students of Loyola find their parking lot experience to be somewhat bothersome.
“It will sometimes take me 15 minutes to leave if I don’t get to my car fast enough,” Cecelia Litgen said, a new driver already facing the complexities of the lot.
While some realize how long it make take to leave, they rush out the door after the sound of the bell to get to their car. Lauren McManus, being one of those students, shared her concerns in regards to the unspoken rules of the lot.
“Sometimes people can be really disrespectful with the intersections,” she said. “Every so often you get some rude drivers that cut you off.”
To make matters worse, students find themselves in jeopardy of being late to certain obligations they have outside of the classroom.
“I’m trying to get to work or home for my little brother, and it gets really frustrating,” Lauren said.
Cecelia shares the same views as her. “I’m lucky that my boss understands, but it causes me a lot of anxiety over something I can’t control.”
Unfortunately, it is not always the other students who cause some issues within the lot. Many students find that some of the security guards who direct traffic can unknowingly contribute to the buildup.
Lauren provided some insight with her opinion: “Sometimes security lets the parents leave first, and we’re sat there for like 15 minutes.”
Of course these security guards are in no way doing this on purpose or with any bad intent. They are simply doing their job to the best of their ability and sometimes it’s not always perfect.
Some changes can be made to lighten the heavy traffic that takes up so much of the community’s time. Cecelia provided a solution that could possibly give drivers a positive impact. “I would love to have more than one exit. I think that would solve a lot of buildup.”
Although there can be some complaints from students, there are still many positive comments to make about this parking lot.
For example, in the morning as I make my way towards the school, I am always greeted by Loyola’s security as they stop some cars to let me through. Some students make sure to take turns while in an intersection so that everyone gets to leave fairly. Even during uncomfortable weather, the security guards are outside in the mornings and afternoons, guiding traffic and students properly throughout the lot.
I am grateful for the ability to park and acquire experience with driving through my daily life. If it wasn’t for the parking lot, I would not be able to park safely, legally, and close to the school.
Despite a few individuals who make things unfair or difficult to navigate, the parking lot is a great opportunity given to students to practice their independence while driving. Drives are able to get a sense of responsibility and even take some pressure off of the parents by getting themselves to school. Like everything, the lot may be a work in progress, but so far it has been incredibly beneficial.
