Parking at the University of Nevada, Reno is one of the biggest headaches that students encounter on sometimes an everyday basis. In the middle of the day, it is difficult to find a single parking spot, specifically in West Stadium. On Tuesday, March 21, parking was by far the most difficult that I had ever experienced.

The story

I had class at 1 p.m., so I made sure that I got to school at 12:30. Fresh off a snowfall, the top of the structure was closed off, thus eliminating potential parking places. Campus security monitored the area, but some students decided to park on top anyway because they needed to go to class.

Within the actual structure, there was a plethora of students frantically trying to find a single parking space. I narrowly dodged a couple of cars that almost hit me. After 20 minutes of searching for parking, I decided to drive to the Whalen Parking Complex to just buy an hourly pass. Unfortunately for me, many other students must have had the same idea because there was no available parking there either.

In one last stitch effort I returned to West Stadium and looked for a parking space. I finally found a spot. I gave a quick fist pump, but then looked at my car's clock where I was immediately let down. It was now 1:05 p.m. I had spent 35 minutes trying to find a parking space. I arrived late to my journalism class, irritated that I had been late.

The takeaway

Students should not have to worry about finding a parking spot when they go to school. Many students pay $200 per semester to park, and the parking situation should not get in the way of a student's aspiration of obtaining a college education. With enrollment climbing each and every year, it is important for the parking problem to be solved before it gets even more out of hand.