The parking lot in front of the field house floods with the morning wave of staff, greedy sophomores, and the elderly juniors. On a typical morning, these patient, almost-seniors struggle to find the parking spot their vehicles used to call home during the school day— that is, the spots nearest to the middle school. For most juniors, these coveted, closer-to-the-building spots that had been chosen in the beginning of the school year. In a manner of speaking, they were taken.

 Historically, new drivers have been expected to park in the back of the field house parking lot, east of the field house. This is because the juniors, who have all been driving since the beginning of the year, selected their spots on day one, But these are now becoming more and more infected with the new cars of sophomore drivers (which typically sit crooked in the parking spots), causing juniors to struggle to find parking in the mornings.

Sophomores: We ask you to be respectful of the tradition of the beloved junior parking spots, even though they are not assigned to us like the seniors parking spots are.

When asked about the worsening of the problem out by the field house, which has reached new heights with more and more sophomores driving, junior Jake Seubert shared the wisdom passed on to him in regards to the parking protocols: “Last year I had a junior tell me to show up late so that I could see where everyone is parking, or instead of showing up late, park in the back of the parking lot.”

Although the freshly paved, 10 by 20 foot spaces, passed down from generation to generation of junior classes, are not “assigned” to individuals like the senior spots in the front of the main entrance, the almost-seniors have developed a bond with and earned the privilege to the white frames of pavement nearest the fieldhouse. This year, that privilege has been taken away.

When it comes to the sophomore over-step, the juniors are getting cranky. Junior Layla Turner said, “I am frustrated because we had to park in the back when we were underclassmen, we respected the upperclassmen by not taking their parking spots,”

Once you new, sophomore drivers reach your junior year, you will be able to upgrade their parking spaces, just like many before you.  But for now: respect the tradition. Park out east.