Vroom, vroom!

So you did it. You convinced your parents that you absolutely, positively, no question about it, need a car on campus. Now what?

The first thing you need to figure out is where you're going to park. There are two options: street parking and garage parking. Depending on where you live, parking may be provided. For example, if you live in a row house, you will probably have a parking spot in back. Apartment buildings don't offer this luxury. However, some of them do have parking spots available.

If you can get yourself off the probable waiting list, then you have the honor of coughing up anywhere from $50 to $100 a month. There are also garages for rent available in Hargrove and Lovegrove (the alleys surrounding St. Paul St.). Those cost around $70 and you need to provide your own lock. I've also heard rumor of people needing to shoo transients away from the door.

The school also has parking available. They charge $52 a month and have a ridiculous waiting list. I've now been on it for over a year. I finally gave up and got a spot in my building.

If you decide to brave the streets, you're probably going to want to get a residential permit. You do this by going downtown to City Hall. Make sure you bring a copy of your lease or one of your bills in order to prove you live where you are trying to park. If you have an out-of-state car, you'll also have to register it in Baltimore before they'll let you purchase a permit. That costs some percentage of your car's book value in addition to the cost of the permit.

There is, as with most things in life, a trick. You can purchase a visitor's permit for approximately $10 and use that in lieu of a regular permit. While technically this is meant only for temporary visitors, it has been known to work for long periods of time. A good friend of mine actually "visited" himself for an entire academic year. Funny how that works sometimes.

The other thing to be aware of if choosing the street parking option is that the Baltimore Police Department, actually Parking Enforcement in cute little white Dodge Neons, ticket all too regularly. Just be aware that enough unpaid tickets will get you booted, and then you're screwed. Also, be aware of time restrictions on many of the streets due to rush hour and/or street cleanings. They tow and it's not cheap. If you are towed, your car is most likely going to be at Greenwood Towing. It costs a lot and they require exact change (to the penny) in cash.

Once you've figured out where to stash the car during classes, you're going to want to take it out. That means you'll need to fill 'er up. The cheapest gas station around that I've been able to find is this really sketchy place on the northbound side of Howard St. near 25th St. However, the Exxon station near the intersection of Coldspring and I-83 has the cheapest car wash.

Buy a Thomas Brothers Guide (or similarly comprehensive map) for Baltimore and drive safe. There are always cops around looking to give tickets, but they tend to be a little more lenient (at least in my experience) if you are driving a car with out-of-state plates and explain that you're a student at Hopkins who just didn't see that red light, didn't realize the speed limit was only 55, or whatever it is you did that you shouldn't have.

Have fun with the car and realize you're soon going to be one of the most popular people on campus.