4A - Forming an Opportunity Belief

A common issue many students, and faculty, can probably relate to is parking. As a freshmen, I lived all the way over near the Oaks Mall. This was a 25-40 min bus ride to my class. So second semester I got a decal, but would really only let me park as close to campus as SW Rec. After class, I would then ride the bus back to my apartment to then drive back to campus to sit down and study at the library. Parking was a nightmare. I felt like I was always competing to get a spot among hundreds of others. This is on a daily basis I would waste so much of my precious time to get a spot and transporting in general. I believe there is a better way to handle such limited parking spaces. Freshmen year, in my ENC1101 class, I proposed an argument to better the parking situations. This parking proposal has already been adapted into other places around the nation. It is essentially a system where instead of wasting time searching for the best spot, you could see a green light when no car was present, and a red light when there was a car in the spot. I have witnessed this in Las Vegas with the MGM properties. It is very effective and efficient. I propose we also do something like this into our beloved garages here at UF.  This would allow search time to become easier and thus saving students the hassle of false hope.

#1) Belen De La FLor, current student living off-campus

Me: Have you ever witnessed or experienced how hard it is to park on campus?
Belen: I have no car, but when I carpool with my roommate it is a hassle to go onto campus and find parking, especially around 6 or 7 to go to Library West.
Me: When did you become aware of this issue?
Belen: I became aware of this issue when I was a freshman and taking the bus to and from class was nice but I had always heard my friends complain how hard it was to find a spot to get to class.
Me: How long have you had this issue?
Belen: I have had issues with parking since my freshman year and I am a junior now.
Me: Do you feel as though parking has taken part of your time to study or do other various activities that are important to you?
Belen: Yes, sometimes I am late to meetings or even class cause my roommate cannot find parking when we are going to school. I think there are not enough spots for everyone here.
Me: What are some actions you should take in order to cut down on searching for a parking spot?
Belen: Well I just got a scooter and scooter parking is a lot better than car parking. So I guess there is one less car that has to park now.
Me: Are you satisfied with the solution?
Belen: I am very happy with riding a scooter to and from campus, saves gas and parking is easier.



#2) Mia Rochette, current student living off-campus

Me: Have you ever witnessed or experienced how hard it is to park on campus?
Mia: Yeah it is so hard to find parking on campus, especially if you are coming after parking is lifted and it is exam week.
Me: When did you become aware of this issue?
Mia: Since I was a freshman. Living on-campus was terrible for parking because if I moved my car I would almost never be able to get a good spot again.
Me: How long have you had this issue?
Mia: Since I was a freshman and I am a senior now.
Me: Do you feel as though parking has taken part of your time to study or do other various activities that are important to you?
Mia: Yeah all the time. I usually will become late to class or even club meeting when it is in the evenings. Once I was late for an exam held in Carlton because the only parking I found was all the way in the Broward garage.
Me: What are some actions you should take in order to cut down on searching for a parking spot?
Mia: I ride the bus during the morning but during the evenings when parking is lifted I try to either go right when it is lifted or after 8 because in between there is like no parking and I would rather sleep than waste my time.
Me: Are you satisfied with the solution?
Mia: No I would rather have more parking spaces so I could come onto campus whenever I feel like because I feel that is ridiculous how in all my four years here parking is still as bad.



#3 Jessica Zheng, currnt student living off-campus

Me: Have you ever witnessed or experienced how hard it is to park on campus?
Jessica: Yeah I have a decal and I still cannot find parking most times, cause my classes are in the middle of the day when everyone is already here.
Me: When did you become aware of this issue?
Jessica: My freshman year when I was living on campus.
Me: How long have you had this issue?
Jessica: Since I was a freshman and now I am a junior.
Me: Do you feel as though parking has taken part of your time to study or do other various activities that are important to you?
Jessica: Yeah like I have to go to class an hour or 45 min before it starts to ensure I can find a parking spot.
Me: What are some actions you should take in order to cut down on searching for a parking spot?
Jessica: I think I should either still go early to get a spot or try a moped cause I heard those are easier to find parking.
Me: Are you satisfied with the solution?
Jessica: No I would rather not spend that much time trying to get to class.



Summary:

My opportunity belief is still there. I know majority of students have trouble parking especially during exam week. This issue seems to have been at UF for quite some time and there is plenty of room for improvement.  Many people have their own methods to solving this difficult task of parking on campus. Some are okay with it but others clearly do have a problem with parking. I believe my opportunity is more accurate than before I started because I got actual concrete evidence of the problem instead of assuming. Entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback because customer feedback is concrete evidence on what the problem is. This evidence should be taken into serious account to go forward with the opportunity.