Tires squeal, people shout, horns honk, alarms ring, hand gestures are performed, faces are made and disagreements ensue. Welcome to the parking garage.

As a first-come first-serve amenity, it is easy to see how students may become frustrated while perusing the parking garage trying to find an available space.

Students who arrive early for 7:30 a.m. classes may easily cruise into the parking garage. If they decide to go up to the top, sunrises can be enjoyed as well.

It is hard to believe that such a peaceful place in the morning slowly transforms into a chaotic storm of students frantically pulling into available spaces.

Ashley Steiner, a nursing major, shared her opinion on what she says is an excess of charging stations available for electric vehicles located in the garage.

“Why are there so many charging stations? Like I could be parked there,” Steiner said.

Since electric vehicles are not that abundant on campus, it is understandable that students are displeased that there are  several charging stations located within the parking garage.

Garrett Sarantakos, an exercise science major, chimed in on his pet peeve: vehicles with loud exhaust that drive through the parking garage.

“Every morning the symphony of car alarms being set off by the annoying people with loud exhaust is ridiculous,” he said.

On top of dealing with the annoying exhaust of obnoxious vehicles Sarantakos also expressed his apprehension when it comes to trying to drive his lifted truck into the garage.

“When you have a truck and your life flashes before your eyes, hoping that you’re not going to hit the roof.. not cool,” Sarantakos said..

Jonathan Chapman, however, finds the parking garage as a useful amenity. Chapman is currently undeclared and a first semester student at American River College.                                                   

“It’s good to have though, because walking all the way to the back parking lot the other day I got soaked,” Chapman said describing his trek through the rain to his vehicle.

With the issues and nuisances the parking garage brings, there is also a healthy free of charge alternative that students can decide to partake in instead, parking off campus.

Students who arrive early enough can park on the corner of Walnut and Myrtle Ave as long as they are not within the perimeter of the “no parking” signs that are present.

There is room for about seven cars so students must arrive quickly. Free parking is also prominent on Hemlock Street, but some may find that is too far of a walk to campus.

Whatever a student’s choice, it seems that the parking garage is both a blessing and a curse.