I was licenseless all of my sophomore and junior year, but I knew that having a license would be a senior year necessity.

After all, driving to school is a rite of passage for St. Luke’s seniors, and as an SLS student for the past eight years, it’s something I’ve always looked forward to. But as I began driving to school, I couldn’t help but notice the parking problem that plagues our campus.

Before I started driving to school, parking didn’t appear to be a big deal. Occasionally, I’d see students’ cars parked on the curb, on the tennis courts, and in front of the school, but I never thought twice about it.  But ever since September, the parking issue has become a much greater source of stress.

As I pull into school each day, a surge of questions flood my mind: Did I leave early enough? Are there any spots left? What do I do if there are no spots left? I am not alone; parking anxiety is a common topic of conversation among SLS seniors.

When I asked some of my classmates about their views on school parking, one immediately responded, “I hate it. I’m always late to class. I always need to park in the junior lot. We should be able to park on the tennis courts!”

Another senior, who is a tennis player, noted that while parking on the courts is a good suggestion, “Parking [on the tennis courts] can ruin the courts and make it difficult when the spring season comes around.”

Walking through the halls, I heard one student say, “I’m one tardy away from a detention.” They continued, “I’m always exhausted when I walk up from the junior lot… We need more parking spots closer to the main building!”

When teachers hear this complaint, they recommend leaving home at an earlier time to secure a spot in the senior lot. Thus, it seems as though every potential solution is paired with a drawback.

Seniors have received emails that lay out the rules for parking acceptably on campus. Mr. Haynie, Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Ward informed seniors earlier this year that, “If there are no spaces in the junior or senior lots, you may park on the curbs in the junior lot. After that is filled, you may park in the driveway to the field; you must, however, make sure you leave room for a golf cart to access the field; you must then check for a parking spot when you have a free period.”

Clearly, the issue is complicated.

Until there is a permanent solution for senior parking, I will continue to see my classmates filter into class late. As of now, I can only hope that teachers will be more lenient when it comes to seniors arriving late to first-period class.