When I first decided to  commute to Moravian, I kept hearing about how horrible the parking situation on campus was. However, I took these comments with a grain of salt, because I knew it could not be that bad, right?

I could not have been more wrong.

I remember leaving my house in Bethlehem early on my first day so I would have adequate time to assess the parking situation and still make it to class on time. I left an hour earlier than necessary, but when I arrived on campus I circled each parking lot in a panic. There was not a single space available, and the clock was ticking.

With no other choice, I parked on a tiny residential street about half a mile from campus. This soon became my norm, because the situation did not get any better.

It seems as though no matter what time I leave, I rarely find a parking spot in a Moravian lot. As a result, I often take advantage of two-hour parking (if I am only on campus for a short amount of time), or I park on a residential street. The latter has resulted in residents putting angry notes on my car, but is this really my fault or is it the College’s?

The parking situation has been an issue for years.

With 615 commuter students registered in the Fall of 2017, which accounts for a little more than 30% of undergraduates, you would think the College would focus on fixing (or at the very least improving) this issue.

I have heard of no such plan.

Bethlehem residents should be able to park in front of their own homes, and commuters should be able to put their $75 parking hangtag to use.

If I am dishing out money for the right to park on campus, I should be guaranteed a spot rather than the possibility of a spot

Making matters worse are the events Moravian holds for prospective students, such as Open House, Discovery Day, or Accepted Students Day.

These events attract many students and their families, which affects the already limited parking availability. While I strongly support these events and admit that they played a role in my decision to attend Moravian, they should not result in parking restrictions for commuters.

I absolutely dread opening my email to see something like, “Lot B will be closed on X date due to X event.” I love watching people visit the campus and get excited about coming here; I was that person three years ago.

However, they are not paying for a parking pass. I am.

Why not have visitors park under the bridge near South Campus and shuttle them to North Campus? This has been done in the past, such as for the Presidential Scholarship dinner, and I can personally say that it worked well then.

On the other hand, if the College wants to give prospective students an authentic experience, they should let them struggle to find parking on their own.