The Trek to OLP Plaid Problems By Julia Smyth
Whether you drive yourself to school each day or get dropped off, there are many struggles involving vehicles and school. For those of us who take the trek ourselves in a car, parking is (for the most part) horrendous! Unless you arrive an hour prior to the first bell or you have a spot in the parking lot, you’re out of luck. The diagonal spots along the front and side of the school are nice if you (1) get there earlier than the sun and (2) don’t mind waiting for traffic to die down after school. The block adjacent to OLP is definitely prime parking- you can leave right after school without any other cars blocking you since that road is closed off after classes. You will be lucky to find a spot on the street along the senior lot, but then you’ll be dealing with the double-parker parents after school. Now, no shame to the pick up parents! Parking is difficult for them too. There are a few options for the pick up parents, all with their own cons. One could park a few blocks away, keeping away from traffic and also increasing their daughter’s daily steps (go health!). Another option is, as stated, double parking. This is when someone parks (but stays in their vehicle) alongside the already parked cars in the street. This makes getting out of spots difficult for student drivers (trust me, I know). Finally, what I would say the most stressful tactic, Circle Drive. Imagine being that first car lined up in Circle Drive… The entire line of cars behind you depends on your kid coming out right on time, right after school ends. If I were that student or parent I would be very anxious in my last block. What if they start honking? What if their kid forgot they were to be picked up right after school? Was this waiting all a waste of time?! I guess you just hope for the best. At the end of the day, getting to OLP is a slight hassle, but everyone finds their niche and what works for them.
Just OLP Things... 1. When you come back from Spring Break and face the harsh reality of seeing yourself in the mirror before 7AM again. 2. When you have to pack an extra jacket and sweatpants just for your one block in Saint Joseph’s. 3. When its -4 degrees at first break and 97 degrees at lunch. 4. When the cafe runs out of bread so you have to eat your tomato basil soup plain. 5. When you’re just trying to get to your Gblock but girls stand still on the stairs in front of you, yelling down to their friend as if they’ll never see each other again.
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