they say that many years ago, man was a great hunter. in today's (slightly) civilized time, many of the hunters' instincts have disappeared. if you want to see true hunter's instincts resurface, go stand in the parking lot. especially the lot of a college with very few good spots. fifteen minutes before class starts is optimal time.

there are three lots on the college campus. the best lot is on the side of the building where the classes are. this is the lot that fills up the quickest. the second-best lot is the one in the front of the campus. this is good if you're going to the main front building to register, pay, or visit any of the offices, or if it's really cold or raining and you want to cut through that building to get to your class. the third lot is the biggest. and has the worst parking. it spans the entire width of the campus and lies behind all the buildings. from the best spot in that lot, you need to walk up about 30 steps and down a path to get to class. try sprinting that when you're late. and carrying a full bag and a computer. not so easy.

on the days that i go to school early (before 8 am) i never have a problem finding a spot in the best lot. the other two days i don't start class before two. unless i go really early to study in the library, i usually have to park in the front lot, or wait for a spot. when I'm running late, i end up parking way, way in the back and running all the way.

but trying to find a spot in a crowded lot is a sport in itself. pulling into the lot and seeing no spots and three circling cars is always a bad sign. making a quick round of the lot to see if there are any spots that the circlers missed reveals that there are no spots. so the next step is to scan the path to see if anyone is coming out of the building. if there is someone, you can either follow them to their spot, or roll down your window and politely ask them if they are pulling out and if you can have their spot. the best place to sit and wait for people to leave the building is at the end of the path, where you're closest to whoever is leaving. the second someone clicks their keys and unlocks their doors, the cars zoom up like shark circling a prey. it's usually the fastest, most aggressive car that wins this battle. or the car with the most dents. that kind of car usually broadcasts a message that they bump other cars. frequently. usually, once a car is positioned next to a car backing out of a spot symbolizes that they are pulling into that spot. most people put their blinkers on just to make sure that everyone got the message. and everyone usually leaves them alone. but once in awhile, a nasty person will zoom right in the spot before you've even had a chance to shift from park to drive. when this happens, there is no point in even trying to reason with that person. the only thing to do at this point is go back and try again. and pray you're not late to class.