By Mohamad Abdallah | Campus Reporter
Whether in AUB or any other university, transportation is an essential component that shapes a student’s university life. Needless to say, when transportation to university is mentioned, in most cases it is whether a student owns a car and uses it to get to university. It has become a consensus that owning a personal car is recommended for this “university” experience, where it facilitates going and coming to university rapidly and with ease without any difficulties or waiting. However, with simple observation, one can simply mention that owning a car in AUB is not a facilitator but rather a hassle for students, where they tend to avoid using cars. Students coming late to class to students getting parking tickets have become conspicuous recurrent problems in which the lack of AUB parking lots can be traced to being the root of these problems.
I took the liberty of investigating these problems further and to check how students navigate these problems, and it became very clear that students who are forced to use cars to get to university are resorting to non-AUB parking lots and are subscribing to parking memberships. Although this might sound very odious to non-AUB affiliated people, student consider these parking lots as a blessing or a gift that saved them. Through my investigating, three parking lots stood out: 1866 parking, near ACS parking, and near Oxy parking that are commonly used by students. These are the go-to parking lots for students and have saved them a lot of time searching for a place to park on the streets.
Galy Kessmeyan, a second-year chemistry student, and Hasan Daher, a second-year electrical engineering student, among other students also, have loved the experience of parking in 1866 and encourage other students to consider parking in it too. They stressed on the fact that 1866 parking is a huge underground parking filled with a lot of parking spots which makes it possible to find a spot even after 11:00 am, so most of the times they are not forced to leave home early to find a spot and they are at ease knowing the perfect spot awaits them at any time of the day. Another fact that was highlighted by Hasan was the proximity between 1866 parking and AUB’s main gate. He discusses that the 1866 parking and AUB’s main gate are very close to each with a very short walking distance, unlike other far places where energy is spent reaching classes. He highlights the fact the parking in 1866 is not tiresome and one can easily reach classes on time without hyperventilating.
Galy also discusses how privacy is a top priority for 1866 staff. She says that the staff let students keep their car keys with them and that in return gives students a sense of privacy that no one will enter their car.
Mohamad Radwan, a second-year nutrition and business student, parks in the lot next to the ACS school, often referred to as the parking of the “hajje”. He emphasizes the cheapness of the parking and how close it is to his faculty. He discusses that he prefers to park there because it is very close to OSB and the nutrition department and feels that it helped him sleep more in the morning because he doesn’t have to worry about being to class on time. He also noticed other nutrition students parking there because of this very fact.
When it comes to engineering students, the “oxy parking” is as famous as it gets. Engineering students are very grateful to have a parking space right next to their department. They highlight how much energy and time is saved specifically that it is literally next to AUB’s OXY gate.
All in all, students consider that these parking lots are like presents given to them and are privileged to be able to park there. However, the presence of these alternative parking lots do not give AUB an excuse for not opening student parking spots. Throughout all my interviews with students, all the students ask AUB to open student parking to guarantee a spot, specifically for students living very far, and so that they do not have to subscribe to a membership.