Being a senior comes with privilege. One of the most prized of those privileges is Senior Parking. Senior Parking refers to the privilege of using one of the reserved spaces up front by the Quad and closer to the Arts Building. To honor seniors in their last year, the senior class gets these spaces for the year.

Claiming a spot is one of the most anticipated events of fall semester: the first drama associated with the parking comes between the senior in claiming spaces.

The conflict comes from all of the seniors wanting a spot up in the 20 spaced front row. That row is limited because there are only twenty spots due to Banyan Ball winners and handicapped parking. There are 61 seniors, so that leaves 41 students to park in the remaining 30 back row spots and 11 spots additional spots which had to be acquired from the underclassman parking.

“There are already not very many underclassman parking spaces, and now that the seniors have taken more, it is even harder to get a parking spot in the regular parking lot”, said junior Liz Gaukhman.

Typically seniors draw out of a hat at Senior Retreat to find parking spaces. To avoid conflict and to save time, Assistant Head of Upper School, Mr. Seldis, used a program called random.org, which pooled all of the Senior’s names and assigned them a parking space.

As an additional gift to the senior class and to help them protect their spots, Mr. Mahler allows seniors to paint the curbs. Seniors are allowed to paint whatever they please, but are only allowed to use blue and white paint.

Another drama of senior parking is how does a senior then go about protecting their painted territory. The problem: underclassmen and uninformed visitors to campus.

If a senior gets to school to find her spot is occupied, they can try to find the student owner of the car, unless a parent has taken it. In that case, Seniors then must park out in the baseball fields. Something that leaves seniors grumbling for much of the day.

“I understand senior parking is sacred to the senior class and it is fun to paint your spot, but it is taken much more seriously than it should be in my opinion,” said sophomore Laszlo Tengerdy.

The seniors who have spots in the back row struggle with the afternoon car line that seems to make its way into the entire back row of senior parking. For students who practice at off-campus facilities, a friendly parent is the only way out.

A good spot is critical.

According to many faculty, Senior parking causes more than the necessary amount of drama in the upper school. As most of you probably know, Mrs. Dougherty’s favorite topic of discussion is Senior parking.

Now that the seniors have painted their spots, they have officially claimed their spot. If you see an open spot that is painted blue or white, decorated or not, that belongs to a senior. Please do not park in that spot. Your time will come soon enough.