Counterculture is alive and well at De Anza College’s Parking Lot C smoking area.
De Anza became a smoke free campus in 2005, but designated smoking areas were not sanctioned until 2008.
Attracting a concentration of smokers, the C lot has become a hub for characters on the De Anza campus.
On any given day, at any given hour, you can expect a scene like this: A group of students juggling a hacky sack, more than 20 students smoking, the pungent aroma of a hip-hop concert, skateboarding and electronic music.
“I definitely feel like I’m not a part of the mainstream. I’m genderqueer, I’m pan-sexual, I’m pagan. I’m not your typical American,” Korz said. “It’s not necessarily that I don’t feel accepted on the other parts of campus, it’s just that I feel more accepted at C lot.”
Another frequent student at the C lot is Joshua Lovell, 26, business major, also known to many De Anza students as The Singing Guy.
“It’s a good way for people to get a chance to meet each other,” Lovell said. “Schools in general do that, get a bunch of people from different walks of life to interact. They come here, meet, hang out and have a cool place to chill.”
Lovell said campus police have kept watch on the C lot, but have never directly tried to break up the spirit of the congregation.
“We’re not hurting anybody, so as long as we’re not doing anything detrimental to anybody, we should be pretty well left alone,” he said.
Vicky Tran, 22, psychology and child development major, started hanging out at the C lot in the winter quarter of 2009.
“In the long run, one or two of those people stayed my friend,” Tran said “It’s just the kind of culture, it’s a living in the moment kind of group.”
Tran said the vibe of the C lot has changed since she was a regular attendee.
“It’s not as relaxed as it used to be, it’s more about the pop culture,” she said.
Tran said that despite the fun times she had at C lot, it wasn’t effective for maintaining an academic lifestyle.
“If you’re young and not willing to settle down and get to work on what you want to do in life, stay at C lot,” she said.
