There is nothing like parking on Mississippi State University’s campus. I have lived on campus for four years and have had no troubles with it. Some people may try to say parking on campus is the worst way to park. Those people are mistaken.
The convenience of parking on campus is unbeatable. Classes? Right there, a short walk away. Even the furthest residence halls like Deavenport and Magnolia are a perfectly reasonable distance for getting to classes in the pouring rain or excessive heat.
Gas is currently above $3, so one of the best parts of residence permits is the accessibility of traveling using other people’s gas.
SMART bus stops? They are very close to residential parking, and even sit right outside some residence halls, like Oak and Griffis for the central loop, and outside several class locations like Giles and Hilbun halls. 
All roads lead to Rome, but, according to the MSU Parking and Transit Services’ SMART bus map, all bus routes land right next to Old Main Academic Center and Montgomery Hall at the two ends of the bustling main section of campus. Want to go eat in the Cotton District? There are bus stops for that. Want to make a Walmart run? Hop on the Highway 12 route. Craving an Oby’s sandwich? Grab a quick bus down the right route, and you are barely a five minute walk from getting your hands on one. Need to pick up textbooks, or a blue book for an exam? Barnes and Noble has a bus stop ready and waiting. You barely ever have to move your car, and if you snag the connected app from the app store, you can always time it right.
Compare all of that to what would happen if you lived off campus and needed to do any of that. You burn gas to drive there. You burn more gas circling the parking lot for a spot. You burn gas driving home and wandering that lot too. You even burn gas on the way to go fill up your tank. 
Guess what happens tomorrow when you have to drive somewhere else?
With gas currently hanging around an average of $3.738 per gallon in Oktibbeha County per AAA’s monitoring, proximity to the epicenter of the bus system is invaluable, especially for students already living the instant noodle lifestyle.
If the idea of saving gas (and money) fails to be very convincing somehow, consider instead the idea that when you park in resident parking, you are indeed a resident. Talk about having your finger on the pulse of what happens on campus: first claim on announcements via resident adviser messages and dorm hallway posters, walking distance to the Humphrey Coliseum, Davis Wade Stadium and Dudy Noble for sporting events, and a close place to crash after a day of exams. The benefits are legion.
Parking in the resident zones really is the best form of parking. With the resident pass, there is minimal gas burning, maximum exposure to events and the bus system is centered around resident zones. And when the fire alarms go off at 10 p.m. for the fifth time that semester because someone set their instant noodles on fire in the microwave, you can walk your way over to the car you have not moved in two weeks and listen to music.
Who says parking is a challenge?