The Best and Worth Thing Ever, Getting your License

I have my third and final driving lesson scheduled for tomorrow. I'm excited because this means I'll be eligible to get my license as soon as I can schedule and, hopefully, pass the driver's test.

Excellent driving conditions for my lesson tomorrow as I'll be fighting the late time, 5-7 pm and the "monsoon," as my friend described the current weather condition.

Anyway, why is the process of getting your driver's license the best and worst thing ever? Let's go over the list.

Pros:

1. Freedom

You're getting your license baby! No more relying on Mom and Dad to have to drive you around. Say goodbye to awkward rounds of questions on the ride home from every party!

Not only that, but hunger will no longer be a problem. No free period after lunch? No problem. Just drive on down to Santa Cruz Ave for whatever you'd like (assuming you have a car of course, which is always a rather large dilemma).

Plus lots more freedom on the weekends. Want to hang out with a friend but the parental units aren't willing? No problem. Go to the basketball gym and shoot hoops? No longer and issue.

2. Coolness factor

In a time everyone either has or is in the process of getting their license, being one of the select few with it is cool. In these few years of our lives when driving is still exciting and not just a chore, it doesn't get much cooler than being able to whip out that laminated card.

Cons:

Time factor:

First step, registering for a driving school. Next step, completing the silly online practice tests and skimming through the pages on how the inside of a car works. Scintillating. Third step, getting the slip of completing from your driver's training. Fourth step, setting up your appointment and going into the DMV to take the permit test. Waste oodles of time as they call out every number but yours and observe people angry at life for making them work at the DMV relish in the little power they have over anxious teenagers. Next step, at the minimum, 6 months of driving and 3 driving lessons. Don't let your anger at your Driving School overflow because they a) never ever ever ever pick up the phone and b) seem to be perpetually booked. Lastly, book and hopefully, pass the driver's test. Situations can get tricky because some parents (ahem) don't allow their kids to take their driver's test during school, which seems like literally the only time the DMV has appointments. On average the DMV will have 1, only 1 available appointment time every other day, and those are all during school hours. So you'll be stuck for 3-4 weeks waiting for the next school holiday when you can take the test.

The car issue:

Basically, the only bad part of the license process is the enormous inconvenience and time consumption it poses in your life. However, let's say you went through the bajillion step process and now have your driver's license.

Whoopty-do, watcha gonna do without your own car? Can't drive to school, because your parents will be working or the nanny uses the car all day. Basically the only time you can drive is on weekends, if you've sucked up to your parents with carefully placed flattery.

P.S. And good luck with passing your driver's test the first time. There's always that one infamous person at the local DMV that likes to instill a little humility in confident teenage boys by failing them.