University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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..... A student thumbs through The Michigan Daily newspaper on her way to class. During the warm months, the Diag was a popular place to read and study. photo by Sharonda Aycrs Students flood the Diag on their way to and from class. Located in the middle of central campus, it was one of the most highly traveled areas of the University. photo by Sharonda Aycrs Htt Passing through the center of campus, students stop to converse with members of BAMN, Many of the Univerity ' s clubs and organiza- tions used the Diag to promote themselves and the things their activities photo by Sharonda Ayers -

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envelopes peppere windshields across campus year-round. Students returned to their cars after class, held in suspense, wondering if they would have one of these un- wanted presents tucked under- neath a windshield wiper. photo by Caroline Taylor hat do you get when you cross a small town with 40,000 college kids whose parents can not only afford to pay the University ' s tuition but can also send their son or daughter to school with a car? The result was a frenzied free-for-all when it came to parking on and around campus. Every day, hundreds of students fought their way through the traffic in search of a parking space near their classes. Often, the closest space was still a hike from where they needed to be. I drove around for at least 10 minutes looking for a space, only to find one that was still a 1 0-minute walk from Angell Hall, senior Spanish major Andrea Hackert complained. Other students justified driving to class by telling them- selves that parking within 15 minutes of campus was still closer than walking all the way from my sorority house, noted junior history major Sarah Streicker. It often took students who lived off campus longer to drive to campus, find a parking space, and walk to class than it took them to simply walk the entire distance. Many students were frustrated with the lack of parking spaces near campus, especially when they needed to run a quick . errand or grab a bite to eat. Usually I just left my car in a loading zone with the hazard lights on, said Andrew Grove, a junior economics major. Unfortunately, double-parking or parking in a loading zone for more than a few minutes usually resulted in a ticket from the ever-watchful Ann Arbor police. Uniformed meter-readers were seen everywhere around campus, waiting for meters to expire so they could punch out a ticket as soon as the time read 0:00. LSA sophomore Missy Myer said, I had put 1 5 minutes on my meter and when I got back to my car 20 minutes later, I had a ticket already! The winter months brought more traffic nightmares as students tired of braving the elements while walking to campus. It was more difficult to get around campus in a car because of snow plows; and hassles were magnified because a number of parking spaces along the streets were reserved for dumping excess snow during the winter months and were therefore unusable. Despite the challenges of getting around campus on wheels, students still enjoyed having their own transportation. It was nice to be able to get off campus or away for the weekend without relying on someone else, said Grove. Many students quickly learned how to avoid unnecessary parking tickets and accepted the gridlock of campus driving as part of the Michigan experience. by Krysia Eustice Michigan Life

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Students are not the only ones who utilize the Diag. One of man ' s best friends sprawled out on a concrete bench to cool off in the shade. photo by Sharonda Ayers brosgri 1 T o most, the Diag may have been merely a red brick surface on which to walk to class, or perhaps it was more widely recognized as the home of the famous M. Regardless of what it meant to most people, University of Michigan students agreed that it is the embodiment of diversity on this campus. Where else could you find various religious preachers sharing, Greek Week ' s Jello Jump, free ice cream on Senior Days, charity organizations ' blue change buckets and bells, students lounging on the grass on a sunny day, naked people running through the Diag at night on the last day of class, drum circles at Hash Bash, and the distribution of the Anti-Daily? This was the surest testament to the diversity of this campus, and the Diag was smack in the middle of it. Its central location was key to its reputation as the core of campus. A large portion of the student body strolled through the Diag at some point in the day, accounting for its popularity with non-campus associations. Various companies came to offer free goodies, such as dry-erase boards, sunscreen, and t-shirts in exchange for personal informa- tion. Religious groups recruited and preached. Students milled around between classes. Teachers held class outside, Michigan weather permitting. One of the highlights of fall in the Diag was Festifall, the annual gathering of clubs and organizations looking to recruit members on campus. On that day, the Diag was transformed into a sea of information tables representing the multitude of clubs and associations present here on campus. Eric Huang, a senior in the School of Engineering, agreed that It ' s the best place on campus to get noticed. When December came, the Diag melted into a beautiful, serene winter scene; a tranquil landscape strewn with ice-covered trees. The mood seemed to be a little quieter, even though student traffic refused to decrease. The Diag was most busy in the spring, bustling with people at all times of day, whether it was chatting with friends between classes, people watching, or soaking up the sunshine on the stone benches bordering the M. Helene Yen, a sophomore in the School of Engineering said, I like being able to just sit under the trees and see a cross section of the world pass by. Dorothy Lee, a Business School junior, quipped, It ' s a good place to relax and sit out, get some sun, hang out with friends in the spring when the weather is nice. Stated eloquently by fifth-year LSA senior Jason Chan, It ' s amazing how such a diverse group of people can hang out in one space. There is always something going on in the Diag. Twenty years from now, if I remember nothing about the University of Michigan, I will at least remember the Diag. by Grace Wong Michigan Life 19