Throughout my college career, I have had a variety of living situations including an on-campus dorm, a nearby apartment and an off-campus sorority house. No matter where I lived, commuting to campus was simple because I had different means of transportation to choose from: I could walk to class, use the Wolfline or hitch a ride with a friend.

That all changed this year when I moved into a townhouse that was miles away from main campus and nowhere near a Wolfline bus stop. My stress-free transportation life ended as I begrudgingly purchased a commuter parking pass for Coliseum Deck.

Because of the recent change so that only graduate students can park in Dan Allen parking deck, Coliseum Deck is practically filled by the late morning with commuting undergraduate students and employees.

NC State has 19,000 parking spaces for more than 30,000 students and employees, and gives commuters even fewer parking options on main campus. Graduate students make up about 30 percent of NC State’s total enrollment and get an exclusive parking deck with over 1,000 spaces close to popular academic buildings.

This change came unexpectedly and left many students scrambling to get a parking pass that would place them moderately close to their classes. Dan Allen Deck, just one example, is across the street from Nelson Hall where students in the Poole College of Management have the majority of their classes. Since Dan Allen is only for graduate students, undergraduate business students can no longer look forward to an easy commute.

“One of the biggest perks of being an upperclassman in my major is knowing that you will one day have the luxury of parking close to your classes,” said Catie Mayes, a fourth-year studying business administration. “Having this taken away as soon as I was eligible to park there is especially frustrating.”

NC State’s solution to commuter parking is simply arriving on campus early. NC State’s Parents and Families Services advises commuters by saying, “By getting to campus early, your student will not only secure a good parking spot, it will also eliminate the stress of being stuck in traffic jam during class or before a test or an exam.” This is not realistic advice and is belittling the legitimate concerns of students.

Because of the lack of parking options on main campus, students still struggle to find parking in time to make it to their classes no matter how early they arrive. On the first day of class, I made sure to leave extra early so I had time to drive, find a parking spot and walk across campus to class.

But I was late to my first class of senior year because it took me 15 minutes to find a parking spot.

Commuting to main campus should not be as difficult or inconvenient as it is. Parking on campus has always been stressful for students, but not letting undergraduates park in Dan Allen Deck worsens the issue.

NC State, “recognizes commuter students as an essential part of the university community,” but does not give commuters the appropriate resources to park on campus. If undergraduate commuter students are essential to NC State, then give Dan Allen Deck back to them. Restricting Dan Allen is only creating more clutter and stress for undergraduate commuters.