At 9:15 last night at the U.S. post office on Cherrybell Stravenue, Robert Johnson, engineering junior, was looking for some tax forms.

"I can't find a form," he said. "I've been to four places already!"

Johnson said he hasn't had time to do his taxes, or even get the necessary forms, because school keeps him busy.

Joelle Smith, customer relations coordinator for Tucson Postal Service, said the office stays open until midnight every year on April 15 for tax night.

Smith said she expects about 50,000 cars at the post office between 4:30 p.m. and midnight.

The post office expects about 750,000 pieces of mail tonight, she said. This is about 150,000 pieces more than on a normal night.

Smith said that, in general, people were pretty lighthearted and relieved to have their taxes done.

Michael Schroff, agriculture senior, said jokingly that he just wanted to come down to the post office to meet his neighbors and join in the insanity, referring to the man in the Ronald McDonald suit collecting tax returns from the drive-up line and police officers regulating the masses of cars struggling to reach the post office.

Schroff later revealed he had done his taxes a week ago, but forgot to mail them.

"I remembered in the middle of class today," he said.

Andrea Ramirez, nutritional sciences senior, said she waited until the last minute to do her taxes because she thought she had to pay.

Ramirez said she did not even try to drive up to the post office. Instead, she parked down the street and walked the rest of the way.

"I guess it's not good to wait until the last minute," she said.

Julia Smith, microbiology freshmen, mailed her taxes yesterday morning, but said she waited so long because she could not find the necessary paperwork.

"I could've sent it off sooner if I had found a 1040 EZ form. I went to the post office, banks and student services before I finally obtained a copy from the UA library," she said.

Not everybody waited until the last day to file their taxes. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program actually saw a decrease in the number of people needing help Sunday, the last day of operation, Janice Silvyn, VITA coordinator, said.

"I wouldn't call it a rush, but the people that were there (Sunday) were panicky about getting their taxes done."

The program's peak was Thursday when they helped 74 people, Silvyn said.

VITA is an eight-week program that provides free tax preparation for those with lower incomes. It is a national program run by the IRS, with student volunteers.

Silvyn said the majority of people seeking tax help from VITA were international students who needed help with the paperwork.