It isn’t Leslie. It isn’t the looming threat of a ticket on my window; I have my parking pass.

It isn’t the fact I very well may hit someone trying to back out; I’ve learned to wait and look.

Granted, all these things are terrifying, but none of them are the source of my fear. My overwhelming anxiety revolves around sidewalk chalk.

Despite never having encountered a vengeful senior, or even an irritated one, I cannot shake the fear of my ‘97 Toyota Celica finding its way into one of those menacingly pastel spots and never making its way back out.

I know it’s irrational. SDA is a kind and accepting place. And it’s just a parking spot… right?

From the posts on social media, it certainly doesn’t seem that way. Nearly every photo posted is captioned with a “don’t park in my spot, or else” warning. Some seniors even write these messages straight on the asphalt. I’m surprised some weren’t written in blood.

Part of me knows that it’s in good fun. Another part of me thinks the tale I was told freshman year – about someone’s car getting keyed for parking in the wrong spot – was completely legitimate.

The worst a senior would probably do is ask me to move my car. No one would key me, and no one will be waiting in my backseat to take revenge. Still, I won’t take the risk and find out.

Along with many other juniors, my anxiety will persist. Getting to school a little early isn’t the worst price to pay for a parking spot. And rain will come and wipe the chalk away, eventually.

And if the rain doesn’t, you might see my shadow hosing down the lower lot at night. If that happens, I would have finally cracked. But, please, don’t tell any seniors.

The day before senior year, the class of 2018 mobbed the parking lot(s) and threw some chalk down. It’s a tradition that has been a part of this beautiful campus. And as a junior, when a spot was chalked, I would respectfully park elsewhere. There is a new class of juniors now and, as a senior, I am offended. On the morning of August 31, at roughly 7:30 this morning, I watched as my friend’s spot was stolen before she arrived. And there were five other unchalked spots surrounding this invader.

There are a few easy solutions to this problem:
1. Get to school earlier, and respect the chalk.
2. Don’t be a dip. Respect the chalk.
3. Respect the chalk.
4. If you are unable to follow steps 1, 2, or 3, maybe you can park on the street. Ok thanks.
5. Respect the chalk.

Let’s give this a thought. Next year, you junior kiddos will be seniors, and you know what that means. You will have your own spots chalked. What a concept. You gotta pay the respect forward.

Final point? This is the class of 2018’s last year at this school. We did our time and served our nickel. We had to search for our parking too and when it comes down to it, the school sucks with parking spots anyway.