The most highly coveted privilege at LFHS is senior parking. With its cobblestone design and prime location, perfect for strolling in five minutes before class starts seems perfect. However, it’s not always as amazing as it may seem. Having been in school for just over about two months now, there are a few things that myself and many others have come to know about what it’s like to park in the glorified senior parking lot.

Here are just a few basic guidelines to all future senior parking spot holders to follow, or at the very least be aware of:

When 8th period is winding down and the school day is coming to an end, it is essential that you have all of your materials packed up and ready to go before 3:20. Whether you do this blatantly in front of your teachers, or slowly and discretely — that is your choice. Just be aware that the more movement you make, papers you rustle, and backpacks you zip, the greater the chances are that you’ll be scorned by the teacher for rushing out of class so early, even when you still have “two whole minutes left.”  

Now, upon exiting your classroom, you need to decide what level of socialization you will engage in before leaving the school. If you want to talk to your friends, you might as well just plan on sticking around for an extra 10 to 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, there is absolutely no time to waste, and you need to book it out of the glass common doors. Give your friends a smile and a wave, and continue on your way.

We all know that you can never ever leave a man behind. However, if a driver has a place to be, that might just happen. Never ever sacrifice your own punctuality because of the promptness of your passengers.

There is approximately a three to four minute time slot beginning immediately at 3:20 that allows for an easy exit from the battlegrounds and out onto Mckinley. Wait any longer, and it could be another 15-30 minutes of sitting in your car skipping through your Spotify playlists. If you are running behind, it is often times faster to run past the awkwardly-sized stairs that connect the lower and upper grounds, and perform a light jog across the grass directly to your car.

Once you have reached your vehicle, the real battle begins. If you’re unable to make the quick escape from the lot, your next challenge is pulling out. Depending on what kinds of friends and acquaintances you have, your departure time can be greatly impacted. Often times, good friends offer about a 50% entry acceptance rate, and if you’re only acquaintances with the person, you might as well forget it.

Don’t be afraid to lay on your horn. It’s there for a reason. Shouts and gestures are also common, but aren’t encouraged. This is also a warning for all of the parents in their SUVs flooding into the parking lot. I understand that the pickup process is tedious, hectic, and that we all have places to go and people to see, but be aware that the senior parking lot is a high risk, low reward area. Enter at your own risk, and don’t get frustrated when you get caught amongst the herd of aggressive teenage drivers.

As if wedging your car inside a herd of angst-ridden drivers wasn’t enough, the final step to complete a successful escape is beating the big yellow busses and finding gaps between all of the parents driving their kids. If they seem to shake their head in a disapproving manner, take note. Those parents don’t know what struggle you just endured. However, cautious driving is typically preferred by most.