With the return of in person-classes this fall semester, there is one thing on every commuter’s mind – parking. It is pretty common for URI students to live down the line in Narragansett, so there tends to be a majority of students driving into campus every day. Because of all the virtual classes last year, I am a senior first-time commuter. And let me just say, it has been a huge learning experience. Here are some tips that I learned first hand so you do not have to:
Leave Early
You know that old saying, if you are early you’re on time, but if you are on time you’re late? Yeah. I am sure a lot of us have learned that “being on time” for parking means you are going to be about 15-20 minutes late for class. It is important to take into account that everyone will be arriving on campus for the same class start times, so there WILL be traffic. Don’t forget – there is also the walking time it will take you to get from the lot to your class, so giving yourself a little extra leeway is really beneficial.
As someone who takes excessive pride in being punctual, I like to leave at least 45 minutes from the start of my class time. It takes me about 20-25 minutes to get to campus and get my car parked, and that leaves me about 20 minutes to walk to my class. This way, I never find myself sprinting across the quad, and making it just in time to be sweaty and out of breath for the start of class. Maybe it is just me, but I’d rather just wake up a little earlier and avoid that situation altogether.
Understand the Designated Parking Lots
For a commuter pass, there are several lots that are available for parking, and it is important to know which ones students are allowed to park in. At the bottom of campus, there is the Plains lot on the far side of the football field, as well as a lot by the Mackal Field House. I found that these two lots have the most open spaces during the day, and I am always able to easily find a spot to park. At the top of campus, there is the Fine Arts lot, and while we would all love to find a spot there, it gets full pretty early on in the day. In the month that classes have been in session, I have only had success finding a spot in Fine Arts approximately three times. I would not necessarily waste too much time looking here, the students with 8 AM classes have most likely already beat you to it.
(A little side note: half of the Fine Arts Parking Lot is for faculty. Don’t make the same mistakes I have.)
Finally, there are limited spots in the Christ the King Church parking lot, as well as street parking on Flagg Road. Like the Fine Arts lot, I find that the church parking lot fills relatively quickly.
The Hill
We all know it, we have all lived through it. For someone who has most of their classes at the top of campus, I cannot say I was looking forward to the walking portion of my commute to campus at the start of this semester.
However, instead of dreading it every day, I try and look at it as an opportunity to get a little extra exercise in. Being a busy college student, with classes, work, and other commitments, sometimes I cannot prioritize going to the gym or getting in some form of organized exercise over my schoolwork or my job. But at the very least, every day I will get some steps in on a nice walk on our beautiful campus.
Moving off-campus can be a big adjustment for us students, and commuting in for class plays a huge role in some of these challenges. Take a deep breath and remember that all of us commuters are in the same boat, and I am sure we will get the hang of it….just in time for graduation.
Hi! My name is Emma, and I am a senior Communications Studies and Writing and Rhetoric student here at URI. I am from Long Beach Township, New Jersey, where I am an ocean lifeguard during the summer. Outside of class and work, I am a member of Greek Life, and enjoy spending time with friends and family. This is my second semester being a part of the marketing team for Campus Recreation, where I am given the opportunity to combine my passions of creative writing and health and well-being. I am so excited to continue sharing my life and experiences as a URI student!