No, really, take your time....

I don't have anywhere to go. I'm just sitting in my car, waiting in the line for you to figure out how to use the parking machine. But go ahead. Take 10 minutes to figure out how to put the little piece of paper that you got when you ENTERED into the machine. I understand. Really, I do.

There is this little group of restaurants near USC. I use the term restaurants loosely, because it's really just fast food, but at this point in my life I'm holding onto non-dining hall food for dear life. In typical Los Angeles fashion, there is a definite lack of parking. There's a small parking structure under the apartment building that these restaurants are attached to that offers 45 minutes free with validation. So that's where we always head and it's a pretty good deal. (Although the whole paying for parking thing is a general frustration. But we'll save that for another day.)

Pretty straightforward right? You enter, take a ticket, go about your business (remember to get validation!), and then exit. However, I've noticed something odd the last few times we've been leaving. For some reason, we get stuck behind people that cannot figure this process out. For whatever reason (my guess is stupidity), they sit at the arm, seeming to expect it to go up without any action from them. Or they put the ticket in and THEN realize that they needed validation ($12.50 for parking?! That can't be right...what do we need to do to make it less? Let's just run into the building and get the validation right now....nevermind all those people waiting behind us!)

I've even had a couple of people start backing up when the arm doesn't go up for them. Just put their car in reverse and start going back, without signaling out the window or anything. Everyone will move for them, because after all, they're important! This leaves everyone further back in the growing car line very confused. After all, why would you reverse back into the parking lot when you're trying to leave?

It's an increasingly frustrating situation that I've encountered. One that I am anxious to leave behind when I venture out of school in a week. Because really, what does it say about the students who attend this university if 1 in 4 people can't work a parking lot pay machine?

Weird Mood

I'm in a weird mood. It might be because it's my last week of classes. Ever. Or it might be because I ate dinner and am still somewhat hungry. Hm.