The open road rolls beneath my tires as I drive down the freeway, finally free to be on my own. It has been just shy of 18 years and I am finally free to drive anywhere my car can take me.
Most teenagers enter driving school at 15 years old and promptly get their learner’s permit so that by the time they turn 16 they can have their license. I took a less mainstream approach. Every time I was about to get my permit, Leander ISD would mail my mom another letter that just happened to contain the statistics for teenage auto accidents. She would, naturally, immediately change her mind and forbid me from getting my permit.
Once I finally enrolled into driving school I was 16 years old. When most of my friends were driving themselves I was still relying on my mom to decide whether or not she wanted to take me somewhere. If she didn’t feel like taking me then I had to desperately beg my friends for rides and since I live in the middle of nowhere this killed any chance at a social life I could have had.
Once I finally had my learner’s permit it was only six months until I was free.
Or at least it should have been.
Right around the time that I had to start scheduling drive times though my driving school my computer stopped working. I was only able to schedule drives in the middle of the school day from the library computers, but by that time in the day all the slots were taken. It wasn’t until the following spring when I discovered that I could schedule appointments via the phone.
Once I got my drive times done it was finally time to schedule myself a driving test. I held my learner’s permit for exactly one year and 9 days. Now I am a senior in high school who is just about to turn 18 and officially become an adult, but I am just now being introduced to the freedom that is being able to drive myself.
If you are lagging behind on getting your license take my advice and get into gear. It is well worth the little effort it may take to finally grasp freedom. Don’t let your friends pass you by while you are still taking the bus and riding your bike.
