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Got my driver's license
12 years ago
General
So, as of noon today, I'm licensed to drive. I suppose I should be happier for it, but it's not really an achievement at my age. It's not a symbol of freedom, it's just another part of getting older that I'm now a part of.
I had planned to make a more grand journal/rant about all the shit this state has put me through. But the truth is that my difficulty has been due to being thrust into very, very specific life circumstances that made this process exponentially harder without any real benefit from it. Nobody would be able to relate to the circumstances and most people have the opportunity to get licensed while still living with their parents, a luxury I never had.
So I'm just going to concentrate on the upcoming difficulties. My father may or may not have a used vehicle he can sell me or give me. That seems to be up in the air but I'll see what comes from it. I'll now have to learn now all the things most teens have learned through experience or through classes from schools better funded from mine. I'll have to learn how to actually maintain a vehicle. I'll learn what the significance of those license plates really are. What to look for when the engine makes noise [x]. Stuff like that. Then I have to get insurance and learn how to deal with those parasites.
I have things on my agenda though. This year will be the first year I'll be attending AC under my own power. I don't know if I told you guys this, but I was facing the possibility of having to Greyhound it, and consequently, would not be bringing Shockwave this year if I didn't have my license and a car. Second, there's two special men in my life I want to visit. They're special for different reasons, but special just the same. I want to visit one of them before AC because even he doesn't like spending time together amidst the chaos of cons. It just doesn't work.
Third, having a license finally makes me eligible for a promotion at my job, when it next becomes available. That'll be several cans of worms when it gets opened, but it's a path I have to take. I can't stay at this position forever. I'd survive yes, but it's just not enough. Especially with inflation constantly creeping up on everyone who isn't part of the upper half of society.
So if anyone takes anything away from this journal, let it be this. Learn from my mistake. Get your driver's license when you're still living with your parents. You'd be surprised at how fast life can stack shit against you when you don't take the first opportunity for things like that.
I had planned to make a more grand journal/rant about all the shit this state has put me through. But the truth is that my difficulty has been due to being thrust into very, very specific life circumstances that made this process exponentially harder without any real benefit from it. Nobody would be able to relate to the circumstances and most people have the opportunity to get licensed while still living with their parents, a luxury I never had.
So I'm just going to concentrate on the upcoming difficulties. My father may or may not have a used vehicle he can sell me or give me. That seems to be up in the air but I'll see what comes from it. I'll now have to learn now all the things most teens have learned through experience or through classes from schools better funded from mine. I'll have to learn how to actually maintain a vehicle. I'll learn what the significance of those license plates really are. What to look for when the engine makes noise [x]. Stuff like that. Then I have to get insurance and learn how to deal with those parasites.
I have things on my agenda though. This year will be the first year I'll be attending AC under my own power. I don't know if I told you guys this, but I was facing the possibility of having to Greyhound it, and consequently, would not be bringing Shockwave this year if I didn't have my license and a car. Second, there's two special men in my life I want to visit. They're special for different reasons, but special just the same. I want to visit one of them before AC because even he doesn't like spending time together amidst the chaos of cons. It just doesn't work.
Third, having a license finally makes me eligible for a promotion at my job, when it next becomes available. That'll be several cans of worms when it gets opened, but it's a path I have to take. I can't stay at this position forever. I'd survive yes, but it's just not enough. Especially with inflation constantly creeping up on everyone who isn't part of the upper half of society.
So if anyone takes anything away from this journal, let it be this. Learn from my mistake. Get your driver's license when you're still living with your parents. You'd be surprised at how fast life can stack shit against you when you don't take the first opportunity for things like that.
Maybe that's because driving is an activity that's near and dear to me.
Despite your feelings, I think that being able to drive is a freedom, and that even with all the crap that can get in the way, it's still a wonderful thing, and you should be happy to get your own set of wheels.
Just my two cents. *hugs*
I'll certainly be happy to have more mobility, to go out and meet those special people in my life, and to really start to life live by my rules instead of by the rules of bus schedules. But maintaining cars costs an arm and a leg, so I'm eying over my finances and seeing precisely how much my life will change for now, and possibly how much it might balance out or turn up if and when I get that promotion.
To everything, a balance.
To make things easy, keep a car journal. Make note of your mileage at significant points like when you get new tires, brakes, shocks, oil changes, and tune-ups. It's also handy for little things that can make a big difference. things like when you last checked your oil, tire pressure, the last time you had your wheels rotated, brakes checked, etc. This can save a lot of headaches (like running out of windshield wiper fluid when there's a ton of salt on the roads).
And whenever it comes to parts (and I mean ANY part), try to avoid going for the lowest price. That can end up costing you. Sometimes a higher price means a better product, like with windshield wipers.
And something important: when you get the car, read the owner's manual. It will seriously help de-mystify your car and help you out a lot.