The St. Edward’s University Police Department is determined to become my best friend this academic year.

Recently they have gone out of their way to remind me of my inability to read small new signs on what is now considered student parking rather than visitor parking. They leave tiny and costly reminders on my windshield, saying “citation.”

Welcome back to the Hilltop.

We have all become aware of the new parking areas this year. Whether it be by word of mouth from a friendly Resident Assistant or a parking ticket that will cost you over $200 — an expensive reminder on where I should park my car.

Parking should not become a source of concern for financially struggling college students. Trust us, we have a lot of other issues to worry about. We have quietly accepted tuition spikes and the ridiculous cost of food on campus, but the line should be drawn at parking permits.

We should not consider ourselves “lucky” that we do not have to pay expensive parking permits like UT students. That is idiotic. St. Edward’s is not located in prime real estate in downtown Austin where t goes without saying that you are going to have to pay more for parking.

Do not get me wrong, I understand the need for registering student’s vehicles and paying for the maintenance of the parking garage or similar amenities. However, the cost of a parking permit should reflect where a student parks.

We all know the struggle of finding parking where you do not spend 15 minutes walking to a class you might already be late for. We have to beat out our peers for front row parking spots, whether it is by Moody or Ragsdale, and also try to beat out the actual staff of the university as well.

If you have a 9 a.m. class in Moody then you are most likely parking in the garage every single time. Most students are okay with walking the distance, but I should be able to pay a reasonable price for a parking permit.

There should be an option for students on tight budgets to opt for a cheaper parking permit. Why is there not a permit that restricts you to park only in the garage but at a cheaper rate?

Student’s main priority at the beginning of the school year is to make sure they have their classes paid for and whether they can afford books. I should be able to pay a reasonable price for a parking permit.

They should not have to fear that their car is being towed or worry about getting a ticket that may prohibit them from buying a necessary textbook for a class.

We come in with a set budget at the start of every year and tickets that cost as much as my monthly car payment are not part of the budget.

As for the rest of us who have been slapped with heavy parking citations, I’ll see you as we park down the street because paying for a permit and a ticket is simply not an option right now.