Many privileges are brand-new for the students of the Class of 2017 with the induction of their white blazers. Going off campus for lunch? New. Wearing college sweatshirts and T-shirts? New.

There’s another privilege, however, that’s an upgrade for the Class of 2017 from last year: parking. At the beginning of the year, the seniors voted for the parking system.

The two choices were having either a system of assigned parking spots, or a first- come- first-serve mechanism that had been in place temporarily since the beginning of the year. Form IV Dean Rebekah Calhoun sent out a SurveyMonkey in September, requesting the opinion of the grade.

Because the results were split pretty evenly down the middle, Calhoun decided to go with the assigned spots system, announcing the decision via email. Through a lottery system, seniors now have their assigned spots. Or, supposedly they do: there have been a few times when, due to tardiness or possibly lack of desire to make the trek from the mid-70s spots, the system hasn’t quite been followed.

Some seniors might have been considered “lucky” (Peyton Smith, Parking Spot #1) or “unlucky” (sorry Jessica Wang, Parking Spot #83). No matter these external considerations, it was the fair way to do it.

And for the love of all things plaid and holy, The Fourcast would like to emphasize one precept: stick to the rules.

The system exists for a number reasons, in both the realms of security and organization. Even if there’s no formal punishment for deliberately parking in the wrong spot, we need to recognize that a problem exists, always the first step in resolving the issue.

But we also need to uphold a system of accountability regarding assigned parking spots. If you see an unfamiliar car in your spot, report the occurrence to security and Calhoun, even if the car belongs to a friend or someone you know. Furthermore, if you know the owner of a car that’s inhabiting the incorrect spot, just follow up with them and lightly remind them of the importance of the parking system.

This parking issue is just one example of a more overarching problem that seems to afflict most aspects of our lives. Take assemblies, for instance; another time when we have assigned places to maintain themselves, though then it’s the seats our advisories sit in.

When people don’t fill in the seats all the way, the auditorium turns into a whirlpool of displaced teachers and students. Do you want to be responsible for making Latin teacher Andre Stipanovic stand during a 30-minute long meeting? No, you do not.

Furthermore, this chaos again disrupts a system that exists for a reason – attendance. By sitting in the incorrect spot, you’re not only displacing teachers and forcing them to stand, but you’re also allowing individuals to possibly skip assemblies without consequence.

It’s not just Hockaday students who have an aversion to following the rules. Has anyone noticed that some adults are allergic to their turn signals? Performing such a small action makes the roads much safer.

The consequences of following rules versus the time saved when cutting corners just don’t cancel each other out.

We’re not quite at the whole. “Time to reinvent myself!” season that comes with the New Year, but as we (and hopefully the temperature) shift from fall to winter, it could be time to reevaluate the respect, or disrespect, that we hold for the rules.

It may have been easier to follow these rules in September, when the school year is still shiny and new, but as we round the corner into the second quarter, there’s still time to x any bad habits that remain.

Rules don’t always make sense and they’re certainly not always fun to follow, but usually, they just make life that much easier, and who could complain about that?

– Maria Katsulos – Business Manager –