On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Greg Washington, a sophomore, did the unprecedented. He found a parking spot in the South Lot at 9:20 a.m. “I couldn’t believe it. It felt like a dream,” Washington said.
Getting a parking spot in any of the lots around 9:30 is difficult as is but ending up in the south lot is nothing short of a phenomenon. A phenomenon Washington almost missed.
“Usually I don’t even tap my breaks and take a look. I just always drive by,” said Washington. This time he was halfway past the entrance when he saw the sign go from the red “closed” to the green “open.”
“I actually had to go in reverse because I had driven by,” said Washington.
The political science major was able to get to his 9:30 a.m. class early — it was the first time he did that all semester.
“It was five minutes before my class started,” said Washington. I pulled out my notes and gave them another look-over before the quiz. I’m sure I aced that quiz.” 
An investigation into other cases where a student was able to find a parking spot in the South Lot between 9:10 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. turned up diddly-squat. Meaning Washington’s experience was once in a lifetime. “It was a parking spot miracle. Something higher up was helping me out that day,” said Washington.
Indeed there was something higher up in play, and it was Washington’s upperclassman friend, junior Daphne Surin.
“Yes, I left Tuesday around 9:20 a.m.,” said Surin, whose exit from the parking lot allowed the system to switch the “closed” sign to “open.”
Surin’s exit and Washington’s entrance was a timing coincidence. Surin almost never leaves at 9:30 a.m.
“I have to get here at 7 a.m. just to get a spot there, so I don’t usually leave early just out of principle, but I was tired and wanted to go home,” said Surin.
Washington’s story has given hope to students like Joanna Mael.
“Before I heard of what happened to Greg, I thought there was a better chance I’d win the lottery than find a parking spot in the South Lot. Now, I’ll  drive onto campus with optimism,” said Mael.