Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be hunted? Deer, pheasants, turkeys, and other animals know how it feels, I?m sure you do too, though you may not realize it. People hunt for fun, sport and food. What exactly do students hunt for? Parking.

Students are pro hunters and they do not even know it. I bet we could even make a sport out of it. I?m not complaining about the cost of parking or even parking in the Overflow Lot, where clean cars always leave dusty and dirty (Can we please see about paving that lot?). In all, students are both hunters and, unfortunately, prey.

Hunters seeking a parking space locate an innocent student strolling to their parked car and begin to stalk them, slowly rolling forward while all the while looking around to see if anyone else notices them. The prey?the student with the spot?either quickens their pace to accommodate the hunter or slows their stroll to annoy the hunter who wants to ravenously attack its prey. This coy game of cat and mouse can be seen all over the campus parking lots.

There is also another type of hunter found in Sacramento State parking lots. This hunter has a more relaxed approach and picks an aisle to claim as their turf. They pull their vehicle over to the side of the aisle and wait for their prey to approach their parked car in their marked turf. These types of hunters have mastered the don?t-you-dare-stare as they glare at everyone who drives down theiraisle seeking a parking spot.

Many students have their own opinions on the hunters that prowl Sac State parking lots. Justin Caporusso, a senior, said, “Waiting for a parking space is extremely lazy; in the time they spend lurking they could have parked in Overflow and walked to class.” On the other hand, some students enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Finding a great parking spot just brightens up their day.The parking garage has its own set of rules on parking spots. These rules are different than the open lots because the space is more compact. Hunters in the garage pull their car into a corner and wait for students to approach their vehicles. Lying in wait in the corners of the garage is not fair, because students driving up the levels have no chance of locating a spot.

Michael Arimboanga, a senior, said, “Waiting for a parking spot in the garage is absurd. I cannot stand students who wait in the garage for a parking spot and make traffic back up all the way to the entrance.” Everyone knows there is a parking issue at Sac State, but are you the hunter, or the the huntee?

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