On a college campus, finding a parking spot can occasionally feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. Due to the everyday issue of finding parking places, which can cause stress, being late to class, and even financial burdens, many students now have to deal with this parking picking reality. Quincy University parking availability needs to be given high consideration as they continue to grow in enrollment and add things to campus.

To help this parking issue at Quincy University students think freshman should not be able to have a car or register a car their first year at QU. This may definitely cause some issues for the freshman as they will struggle to get places around Quincy and may find it difficult getting to North Campus since the shuttle schedule is unpredictable. Some may argue that freshman need their car the most to explore their college town and learn how to get around so they feel more comfortable throughout the year. This may be the case but if freshmen were not allowed to register a car then that may clear up the parking situation around campus.

“Not having a car as a freshman was honestly something I expected to be more of a commonality, but upon getting to campus and realizing I am part of the minority there was crazy to me. Having to rely on other people/means of transportation can definitely be stressful when you are also trying to balance living on your own for the first time. I will say I do miss being able to drive myself around and set my own schedule, or just go shopping or get food when I want to. But you get used to it pretty quick, and I find that it’s always more fun to do those activities with a friend,” Madison Peck, freshman, said.

The number of students enrolled at Quincy University has increased recently, but parking facility development has not kept up with this growth. As a result, before classes or tests, students frequently find themselves driving in circles in a desperate attempt to find an open place, only to be confronted with worry and anger about being late to class. Student anxiety also may increase by the fact that they think to push their luck and park in a non-parking spot and risk getting a parking ticket.

“Parking at Quincy is very difficult I would say. There is very limited parking for how many students they have enrolled in the school. I live in the freshman dorms as a transfer and I feel it’s so hard for me to find parking near my building if I do find parking that I’m allowed to park at besides the two closest to my building would be C Lot and if I’m trying to find a spot at night that would be all the back of C Lot. Any person wouldn’t want to walk that far especially if they have groceries, if it’s cold, if it’s raining, or even all three of those things. I feel as though if Quincy wants to keep bringing in these big classes they need to find a way to have more parking, have designated parking lots, or not allow freshmen to bring their cars,” Jessie Martin, student, said.

There is an urgent need for attention and coordinated action in response to the parking problem at Quincy University. QU may reduce the stress and inconvenience of parking by making investments in larger parking facilities, supporting alternate modes of transportation, and interacting with students. This will also improve Quincy University’s students’ experiences on campus. Something QU could do is create a culture of environmental care among students and staff while easing the burden on parking infrastructure by encouraging alternate forms of transportation like walking, providing motorized public bikes, and enhancing the public transportation schedule to allow a quicker and easier way to North Campus.