For years you have plagued the student body with an endless barrage of nonsensical parking rules that can only be found in the super fine print of a parking agreement, or the violation submission of a recently received ticket. The rules and regulations have become increasingly difficult to decipher. So much so, I fear you no longer look out for us, the customers of your parking spaces, and have become a cheap landlord poised to evict his tenants. 

My relationship with you, parking services, began last year in Calhoun Courts. Not a single person in the whole of these apartments understood the so-called fire lane that runs the length of the Courts. Indeed, a fire lane between the rows of apartments makes sense. Yet, the lane is completely unmarked. Not only that, but entrance into the fire lane was always barricaded by an impassable chain. I understand that you were attempting to keep your tenants in shape so that it would be impossible for us to park in front of our buildings and quickly carry our 12 bags of groceries to our apartments, but in so doing you also blocked the emergency vehicles ability to save those in need in Calhoun Courts. 

This brings me to our first disagreement, or as you like to call it, parking violation: 24 hour employee spots. The amount of parking available close to academic buildings for students is ridiculous. One would think that during the weekend when the faculty are spending time with their children and spouses, volunteering for the homeless shelter or, in general, having a life outside of their career, the students of Clemson would be allowed to park in the employee spots. Granted, parking services, we thank you for those spots that you do allow us to park in during the weekends. We even graciously relocate our vehicles for game days so that alumni and students can come together to celebrate the tiger nation, but for all that is great in Death Valley, what is the purpose of 24 hour employee spots? They mainly confuse students who are new to the ways of the parking sticker, and 90 percent of the time they remain empty. 

Finally I will recount my latest scuffle with your office. I was recently purchasing my Clemson class ring at the visitor/alumni center. I drove around to find a place to park and found metered parking. Despite having paid for a parking pass, I decided that my expedition could survive the expense of the meter. I paid for an hour of parking, dreamed and designed my class ring, returned to my car, and drove home. During the drive I talked to my mom about my recent investment into the school that I love and have come to call home.

During the drive, I noticed a slip of orange paper shining on my dash, mocking my excitement for both the ring and Clemson. Parking services, you turned what should have been a beautiful moment into a frustrating misfortune. My disappointment and distaste stemmed from the fact that the parking spot did not say anywhere that you had to be a visitor to park in the spot. The only sign on the chosen resting place for my car was "metered parking." Not only would I have to pay for a ticket, but I also paid to park there for an hour, and I only used 27 minutes! 

All in all, parking services, I implore you to reevaluate where your priorities lie -- with the students, or with increasing your personal rainy day fund? I look forward to the day when petty parking statutes no longer burden the students of Clemson.