Dear UNCW Parking,
Besides bombing a test, you are the number-one thing to ruin a perfectly good day. So it's time that the anger I feel towards you, the inconvenience you inflict upon me, and the frustration you cause me, are finally expressed. For the next few minutes, allow me to explain to you how much of a pain in the ass you really are. After another annoying incident you unfortunately brought upon me today, I feel like a letter complaining about your poor services should finally be written. The students of UNCW have had enough. We are tired of the stress you give us when not having anywhere to park as well as the fear of receiving one of your godawful tickets on our windshields.
First of all, the designated parking zones you have assigned to us aren't big enough. There are only a few "decent" parking spots and each lot, and if you aren't lucky enough to get those, then you might as well put on your walking shoes because you've suddenly got a trek in front of you. For example, the lots for the residence halls come with a limited number of front row spots. Picture the freshman, back from the semester break with their car piled high with an overabundance of stuff. The scarce 15-minute unloading spots are already taken and he is now forced to park his car in a parking lot several feet away from his dorm. Why can't you provide double the number of unloading spots to make life a little bit easier for us struggling college students?
Another nuisance of UNCW Parking is that before 4 p.m. on any weekday, it is impossible to make a quick stop at either of the Fisher Buildings. I can't name how many times I've needed to pick up a package from the post office, but couldn't because of the risk of getting a parking ticket. I would try to park in the zone closest to the building and run inside before a ticket could be given, but congrats, UNCW, your parking enforcement employees are ninjas. I can't leave my car for five minutes without coming face to face with a ticket. You're good, real good.
I don't think you understand how much of a hindrance you are. Even on the nights and weekends, you still find a way to haunt us. We are told that after 4 p.m., we are allowed to park in other zones. Well, what are we supposed to do when those parking lots are filled? Park in a service spot? Ticket. Park along the street in the grass? Even bigger ticket because apparently there are underground pipes that no one was ever aware of. UNCW strongly encourages students to get involved in clubs and other organizations on campus, but they don't tell you how unbelievably difficult it will be to find a single parking space!
One of my biggest questions for you is, why don't the two parking lots for the University Suites connect? Do you realize how much gas we burn driving around the suite service loop only to leave in disappointment from not finding a spot? And then how unsafe we feel at night walking from the scary so-called "rape lot" to our suites? There are so many trees and woods around campus, so why not expand those into more parking lots? That way you can make some of the current spots unloading spaces, so we don't break our backs trying to unload our cars. UNCW is trying to find new ways to grow and expand each day, but how will that be possible when there are no places for the growing student body to park? It's time for a change.
Sincerely,
99 percent of the UNCW student body
