Who invented speed bumps? Perhaps more importantly, did they have any friends?
Driving up to Morris Hall after my move back to Abilene a few weeks ago, I remembered one of the only downsides to my favorite campus dorm: the speed bumps.
I lived in Morris last year as a resident and serve as a resident assistant this year. I love having a living room, bedroom and my own bathroom. I love being able to walk outside my door onto a balcony, breathing fresh air. I love watching birds’ nests take shape in the courtyard during the spring months. And I love living so close to Moody Coliseum, I can leave my room at 10:55 a.m. and still make it to Chapel on time.
What I don’t love is crossing at least three speed bumps on my way in or out of the hall’s parking lot, regardless of route. I often take those at such a slow pace trying to save my car’s shocks and suspension, I tend to accidentally roll backward instead of completely over said speed bumps. Especially when in a rush, I admit, this practice is exasperating to me, my passengers and the cars creeping along behind me.
I also don’t love competing with burly football players, parking close to Gibson, for our hall’s parking spots, who could probably eat me and my little Camry as a pre-scrimmage snack.
An avid football fan, I intend to be at every game possible, scream for the team until I lose my voice and stay until the game is actually over – no matter how many points we are up. However, on days when I pull into the Morris Hall parking lot and cannot find a space because of the droves of cars marking a football team practice, I confess: I am not the Wildcats’ biggest fan.
Yet, despite some figurative and literal speed bumps, talking to friends at state universities leads me to realize the true quality and convenience of ACU parking.
As I’m beginning my third year of living on campus, parking issues usually fail to pester me. Most often, I avoid complaining. Morris Hall generally offers its residents some of the best campus parking, and the Gardner parking lot largely is responsible for my ability to parallel park.
In contrast, some of my friends at Texas A&M were assigned specific lots and areas to park on campus and told to expect the worst their freshman year. At ACU, we have access to several student lots across campus
Additionally, my previously mentioned Aggie friends sometimes walk twenty minutes to class. I realized early freshman year, walking across the whole of ACU’s campus only takes me about seven minutes, if I hurry.
As a smaller university, ACU offers its students a unique experience. Student-to-professor ratios remain low. Hands-on experience is often a requirement rather than a rarity. And finding a parking spot on campus remains a fairly low-key experience.
Admittedly, arriving on campus late or for a later class may translate into a longer walk to your final destination. However, other campuses obviously present much more frustrating situations.
So leave a few minutes early. Plan to enjoy your less-than-ten-minute walk to the classroom. And park your complaints somewhere else.
