Finding parking as a student attending the University of South Florida can be one of the most stressful things you encounter when living in apartments for USF Freshman for the first time. You always want to start the academic year by making it to class on time and getting to class late because you don't know where to park can make doing that a lot more challenging. Instead, familiarizing yourself with the campus by driving around before the first day of class can give you an idea of where the best places are to go for parking.
Also, if you feel that you want to make parking a little less stressful, you can always carpool with your USF apartment roommate if your schedules align. If they don't, then you'll have to prepare yourself for finding some other form of transportation like the Bull Runner Shuttle or a personal vehicle to get to class.
Parking Garages Near Your USF Apartment
The first option for parking near the University of South Florida campus is a parking garage. Parking garages are structures that provide multiple levels of parking including spots on the roof of the structure. Depending on where your classes are located, one parking garage might be better to park at compared to others.
Some advantages to parking in a parking garage near USF apartments are that they offer plenty of parking spots for both faculty and students and are close to class buildings that you might find yourself needing to go to. Some unavoidable problems that you might find with parking garages include all the spots being taken up quickly, a lot of traffic in and out of the garage, and purchasable permits needed to park in certain priority areas in the garage.
Examples: Collins Boulevard Parking Facility, Richard A. Beard Parking Facility.
Street Parking Close to Apartments Near USF
All the best apartments in the USF area are either within walking distance of USF or have street parking options close by. Also, you can a USF apartment with a parking garage to make it a lot easier to park near campus. This of course would only be beneficial if the apartment near USF you are living in is a short walk to campus.
One of the advantages of street parking is how conveniently located the spots are to campus. Also, restaurants and stores always have some form of street parking for guests and customers. You can pay using a parking meter and adjust the time to your schedule. Some problems with street parking are that they are first come first serve, cost money to park in, and can typically be rented by non-students as well.
Designated Lots Near the USF Main Campus
There are plenty of huge lots near campus that allow students and other people to park there during normal school hours. These lots look like large plots of gravel or concrete, normally marked with a USF parking sign. If it states somewhere that you can park there, you shouldn't get towed or ticketed. Parking somewhere near USF apartments that has a "No Trespassing" sign or doesn't specify whether you can park there is risky and not recommended for avoiding tickets and other charges.
Examples: USF Lot 18, N 15th St Parking Lot, Resident Parking lot on USF Maple Dr.