Blame it on the alarm clock, blame it on traffic or if you’re like me, you blame it on everything else that couldn’t have possibly had a hand in it. Either way, I was late to school.

Now normally when I touch down near campus I make my way across the street to park in the nearby neighborhood. It’s close, I get a good fifteen minutes of power-walking in and most importantly, it’s free!

But today was a different day. Today I was late. I had to do what I dread the most: pay for a parking pass and park in that hideous infrastructure known as Parking Structure One. Did I forget to leave out that my first class isn’t until 10:30a.m.? Parking was horrendous to say the least and the transformation was easy and painless. Even I am ashamed to say it: I became a vulture.

For those of you that don’t know what a vulture is, a vulture is that student you see sitting in his or her car, slowly making the rounds of the parking garages shouting: “Hey, are you coming out?”

For the most part, I have been a victim of vultures without ever having to become one myself.

Shanika Arrington, junior doesn’t consider herself a vulture but sympathizes. “I know how it is, especially if you’re running late.” Arrington said.

As I made my way up to the third floor without any success, I saw a poor, unsuspecting girl walking by her lonesome. I asked her if she was coming out and she answered no. And quite angrily if I might add. I felt so rejected!

Here I am, taking a chance on an unknown girl and she rejects me. This is when I came to the conclusion: the life of a vulture border-lines on demeaning.

But never mind that, I had business to attend to. I had a parking spot to find. I happened upon a girl on the sixth floor making her way to her car. I shouted at her, this time a little less patient and a little more anxious.

This time the young lady was coming out and she told me I could follow her to my car. Great success! I swooped into the parking spot with 10 minutes to spare. My moment as a vulture was over…for now.

I soon came to realize, everything a vulture does is out of desperation, from shoving $5 into the permit machine to franticly rounding the corners of the parking garage. All a vulture wants is a parking spot but are you willing to do what it takes to get it? Are you willing to follow at the heels of a student jingling his or her keys?

Jessica Limper, senior says vultures are very common. “I’ve seen plenty of it,” Limper said. “Especially last semester.”

This semester is proving to be no different. I’ve been firmly against becoming a vulture thanks to my days (read: years) at Sacramento City College but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Then there is the flip side of vultures. What is to be said about the so-called victims of vultures? Being a victim of a vulture isn’t without its perks. I love getting out my keys a little early and jingle them just to piss the vultures off. My personal favorite is having to go back to my car to retrieve a forgotten textbook and tell the poor sap: “No, I’m not getting out.” Ha! That’ll teach them.

Kelley Ede, senior, doesn’t consider herself a victim of a vulture. “I have been a vulture,” Ede said. “I’ve given people rides and people don’t mind, they park far anyway.”

As far as giving people rides to there car, that’s trickier. There’s something about getting in the car of a stranger that’s a little too after-school special for me. Even if all they want is a parking spot.