LONG BEACH -- Kelli Wilson started her first day at Cal State Long Beach by standing in line.

After 45 minutes of waiting Tuesday afternoon, the graduate student was only halfway through a line for financial aid, and she still needed to stand in line for a parking permit and student ID.

But what seemed to frustrate her the most was how hard it had been to park on campus.

"It was horrible, a horrible parking arrangement on the first day of school,' said Wilson, 22, adding that she had searched for 30 minutes before finding a spot.

Thousands of other students spent their first day fighting traffic and computer problems, finding parking, standing in numerous lines and trying to make it to class on time.

About 32,272 students are registered this year at Cal State Long Beach, according to an initial count done Friday, but that number is expected to grow, said Rick Gloady, spokesman.

Last year, 32,491 students were signed up in time for the first day of school, and that number grew to 34,566 when the university did a final count about 20 days later, Gloady said.

"There's lines everywhere,' said Michelle Herbon, 21, who had been waiting for 40 minutes to get her parking permit. "This one's by far the worst.'

There were also long lines in the bookstore, where Brad Shelkey stood waiting with dozens of others carrying baskets full of books, pens and folders.

"It's extremely busy,' said Shelkey, 22, a recent transfer from Colorado State University, where he said it was not this crowded.

Parking was "unbelievably bad,' and he made it to his first class at 9:30 a.m. by running.

Christopher Vannote, a 22- year-old senior, said the first day of school seemed more crowded and difficult than in past years.

"This year is the worst,' he said, as he sat on a bench near the bookstore, with four bags of books and notebooks $560 worth lying at his feet. "It's ridiculous.'

Vannote said he has had trouble getting a history class he needed, possibly because of cuts to the department.

Vannote also had problems with his school Internet account a problem that other students also had, according to Gloady, because of virus problems from people using their computers on the campus network.

Rachelle Solomon also had problems with her Internet account, and she stared exasperated at a computer on which she was unable to access her class schedule.

"I just want to get my classes ... ' Solomon said, as she unsuccessfully tried a new password.

The first day of school was stressful for Grace Sosa, a senior, who was 30 minutes late to her first class.

"It's hard to get to class 'cause there's no parking,' Sosa, 21, said. "There was traffic all the way from Seventh Street.' Sosa also had to spend plenty of time in line.

And Shelkey, who had already spent an hour and a half waiting in line for financial aid, still faced more lines as he had to get his parking permit.

Saul Leven, a 19-year-old freshman, had also spent time getting through a long bookstore line and rested on a bench as he looked at his schedule.

"It's really, really crowded,' he said.