There’s something about a road trip that I love that I just can’t put my finger on. I feel like I’ve come close to figuring out why I love them so much but I’m just not sure. Maybe I’ll know why by the end of this column. Most people hate long trips in the car and rush to get to their destinations. They do the sleep for hours stop only when necessary why didn’t you pee when we stopped to get gas are we there yet routine, aiming to get where they’re going as fast as possible.
But for me, I truly believe in that quote, “Focus on the journey, not the destination.” because the destination is great sure, but the journey is just so darn peaceful.
As a child, my family and I drove to Michigan every summer to see my family. I always sat in the back with my brother, playing games to pass the time, (my favorite was making semis honk by moving my bent arm up and down, our record was 23 in a row), and watching every VHS tape we owned on the mini television my mom rigged up in the back. I loved those trips, and to this day I still look forward to those 14-hour road trips.
Today, my favorite thing about a road trip is the fact that there are no worries. It’s not like when I’m sitting at home on my butt watching Netflix, knowing I could be doing a million other things at that very moment.
When I’m in the car, there’s nothing else I could be doing. It takes away a lot of stress for me. It’s a sense of pure freedom. Freedom from the worries of school. Freedom from the stress of homework. Freedom from feeling guilty about doing nothing. When I’m relaxing on a road trip, there really is absolutely nothing else I could be doing with my time, and that is why I love road trips.