Driving

By Kaitlin
The act of driving is seen as an environment killing, polluting, money guzzling habit that we humans have fallen into. It is true that the gas aspect is a growing problem, but this mode of transportation has become a norm in the society we live in today. The thing that is not realized by many is that driving is not only a way to get from A to B, but also a way to get away from the stress and hectic nature of life and escape into your own safe haven.

"The car has become a secular sanctuary for the individual, his shrine to the self, his mobile Walden Pond." ~Edward McDonagh

So, is there in fact a beneficial component to driving other than speedy transportation?

I believe there is, but I also believe that too many people are too busy worrying about things that are out of their control instead of enjoying their surroundings. Most of us don’t take advantage of the joys of the journey because we are too focused on only the destination.

There is a relaxing sensation that fills you when, after a hectic day at school, filled with APUSH reading checks, English essays, and math tests you retreat to a place all your own. You get in and make yourself comfortable inside the oh-so-familiar driver’s seat and buckle yourself in. As you put the key in the ignition and hear the calming racket of the engine starting and you immediately feel better and more whole. It instantaneously makes the stress of an extensive morning melt away and creates a feeling of tranquility in even the most frazzled honors student’s day. Having the option to be immersed in silence, suffocated by the sound of your favorite band’s new album, or something in between is truly a blessing for someone at the peak of adulthood. An automobile, for a teenager, is a unique space that is comfortable, just spacious enough and a free area for a young adult you be alone or to invite others to share their space. It’s a brief period of independence during each day that keeps us sane and enables us to slowly ease into the self-dependent college world.

Control and independence are key ingredients in the recipe for a successful rise to adulthood. Teenagers today are much less self sufficient and constantly need assistance to get them through the day. This tiny amount of freedom allows us to gradually earn independence from our parental units and to gain self confidence along the way. This confidence fuels a more reliable and efficient generation and on and on this method continues. A car is not only a means of transportation between the start and finish of a journey, but also the transportation of an individual from an irresponsible child to a competent adult.

Relaxation may not be the first word that comes to your mind when you think about driving, but if you look past all of the traffic, road rage and blaring horns, it can be a very calming time of the day for any commuter. The simple action of gently pressing a pedal with your foot while simultaneously steering a wheel is much more simple than most of the other chores each one of us has to deal with throughout our day. Another way to increase the relaxation of an afternoon drive is to listen to music that genuinely makes you happy. Beatle’s songs always seem to have a tranquil sense to them that makes tasks like driving enjoyable and even something you can look forward too. With a comforting song playing on the stereo and a clear mind, driving is a very peaceful experience and can even become one of the most profound parts of your chaotic days.

Without the coasting feeling that driving gives us, we would be much more stressed (if you can imagine that) and we wouldn’t drive as often as we all do. There is a certain “off switch” that we are able to use when we drive a short distance across town because it is so familiar and we know it so well that we don’t need to use so much brain power to get us there. It aids us in the fight for out own sanity and in the fight for the little independence that us non-adults are allowed. It is a very modern answer to an age old question of travel, but it is so much more than that because it gives a chance to be ourselves in a portable “bubble” that is part of us and can be altered to meet our needs. When I have the Beatle’s lightly playing while I’m driving the familiar route home from school I experience a clarity that helps me escape from my scheduled life for the 5:27 that it takes to get home. This lucidity creates an excuse for me to drive and experience this lovely wholeness as much as possible throughout my crazy homework filled week.