Construction on Cosumnes River College’s future parking garage has had immediate effects on students.

Temporary Parking Lot E is unavailable, where the structure is being constructed.

“As of the start of the spring 2012 semester, approximately 473 parking spaces were unavailable due to construction activities,” CRC Administrative Services Director Cory Wathen said via email.

While it has been hard to find parking for some students, Wathen said that “since the end of the second week of the semester, there have been spaces available in certain locations on campus, including the southeast corner of Lot E, the southwest corner of Lot C and the northwest corner of Lot A.”

However, while Wathen said that this should be the “most challenging semester for parking,”  he said that some construction projects will be finishing up by the fall, opening up parking in Lot A and along the north side of campus.

Students on campus were asked about their parking experiences.

Kirsten Larson, a 24-year-old photography major, described parking this semester as “really crappy.”

Larson said she’s done a lot to get a spot, and that it can take 10 minutes to find a spot.

“I’ve given people rides to their car to take their spot,” Larson said. “Or I’ll stop and wait for someone to leave.

Following people to their cars is one way to get a parking spot, Larson said.

“I feel like I stalk them while they walk to their cars,” Larson said.

Scott Miller, an 18-year-old marketing major, had a different experience looking for parking.

Miller said that parking is “not bad,” and that he finds plenty of spaces.

“I park over by the art department,” Miller said. “There’s  lot of spaces. By the third or fourth week, people start dropping and there are open spots.”

However, Miller was the only student interviewed who said that he thought parking was not a problem.

Steve Hoang, a 22-year-old business administration major, shared similar frustrations as Larson.

“It’s been kinda hard,” Hoang said. “I would have to park on one side of campus and my class would be on the other side.”

Hoang said he sometimes has to park at the back of the school, and that it takes him a while to walk to the main part of the campus.

“I try to come earlier just so i can get a better parking spot,” Hoang said.

Hoang said that the area by the Learning Resource Center is definitely the worst.

“They especially need more near the LRC,” Hoang said.