It’s 10 o’clock on a lovely school morning, you’re driving up Linda Vista, passing Rose’s Donuts, and you’ve caught nothing but green lights thus far. The sky’s clear, the radio’s on point (finally), and your day is off to a magical start. Sounds like a pretty great San Diego day!
You pull into campus and you’re thinking, well, “Maybe I’ll try my luck at finding a bomb parking spot!” But, wait. You go to school at USD and parking, despite how gorgeous our school is, is not a pretty experience. Most of our students choose or are sometimes forced to park in the West and Missions Parking lot. But, that does not mean that parking on the main strip of campus is impossible. In fact, when you do manage to find parking on the main strip, it can be quite satisfying to say the least.
Here’s a list of 7 stages to finding that lucky parking spot on campus:
1) You pull into the West Entrance of campus and refuse to park in the dungeon, The West Lot. Today’s not a tram day for you. No, it’s your day to park on the main strip of campus.
2) It’s after 10, you’re early for your 10:45 and you’re feeling pretty optimistic. You’ve got a game plan in your head: Check the carpool spots, the spots on the main strip, the spots by the Immaculata, then if you must, you’re going to check under Soles, and the IPJ.
3) You’ve got this. You drive up the main strip, check the carpool spots. Nothing so far? It’s ok. You drive past the new nursing building and even though you haven’t seen a spot, you still have the possibility of finding a spot by by the Immaculata. Nothing there? At this point, a little voice starts to tell you that you’re probably going to end up parking in the West Lot. But don’t listen to it. Tell it to shh. It’s your day.
4) At this point, you’re winding around Copley and you’re holding on to hope! Oh, and just look where you’re at! You’re right by SOLES. Maybe someone knew you were heading to campus at this time and saved you a parking spot. But, peanuts! The only spot you find is the one reserved for motorcycles and you, my friend, are in a car….
5) You’re feeling a little bit down at this point and the voice telling you to head to the West Lot is getting a bit louder. But, hey, you’re still early! One more lap around the main strip won’t hurt. Keep those hopes high!
6) At this time you turn left onto the main campus and what do you know, you’re stuck behind a tram. Things are starting to look down hill from here [the West Lot is down hill, after all]. You’re starting to feel less optimistic and not even that song “Cheerleader” by Omi is able to cheer you up. Then, all of a sudden, you see someone walk to their car located right in front of Olin! Are they going to leave? They give you a hand sign and it’s a yes! GET THAT SPOT!
7) You did it! Congrats! You didn’t give up hope and managed to lock in a prime parking spot (even though it took 40 minutes). Talk about having a great day!
So, all in all, parking at USD can be pretty annoying. But, my advice to you all is to keep your eyes open and maybe, just maybe, the parking genies will grant your wish and a prime spot will open up.