Getting My Driver’s License Came with More Burden than Freedom

06.30.19
Getting My Driver’s License Came with More Burden than Freedom (Photo: SOCMIA Fotografía/Unsplash)

I was stoked when I got my driver’s license. When I passed the test, I sent my friends a Snapchat message, “Road trip anyone? #Licensed!” But then the responsibility of driving hit me.

I had a vision for my life with a car. I know it sounds cheesy, but I pictured my friends and I with the windows rolled down, music blasting, and hands in the air.

Then my mom left town for a week! No mom and a car — sounds like the best thing to have ever happened to me, right? Wrong.

I became a chauffeur for my friends, and when we were out partying, I wound up as the designated driver. I had to pay for gas. And worst of all , I got a one hundred and ten dollar parking ticket. I sat in the driver’s seat and cried, before moving the car.

It’s funny, how fast this privilege became a burden. For years, I fantasized about the freedom of driving. But now, the responsibilities of it are weighing me down. And I’m beginning to wonder if the rest of adulthood will be similarly bittersweet.

Support the Next Generation of Content Creators
Invest in the diverse voices that will shape and lead the future of journalism and art.
donate now
Support the Next Generation of Content Creators
Invest in the diverse voices that will shape and lead the future of journalism and art.
donate now