Driving—what a fun time! One of the major milestones in life is getting your driver’s license. A majestic experience once one turns 15 years and 365 days old. Go get your license, they say! Go drive yourself to school, they say! Go pick up dinner, they say! Go run my errands, they say! Let’s see what Charlotte Latin thinks.
“Drive thy business, or it will drive thee,” said Benjamin Franklin. No wonder he said that—he was the father of freedom! When asked what he was most excited for about getting his license, Noah Smith ‘27 said, “Just the freedom that it gives me.” As people get older, they beg their parents for more independence, and driving is the first significant step on the journey to adulthood. Many teenagers imagine driving around jamming to their music, picking up food and going to see their friends whenever they want. The driver’s test is the last lily pad to jump across on the river of freedom.
When it comes to getting a license, there are a multitude of experiences that teens may have. Even in the previous decades, not much has changed in the license process. Colin Imwalle, Upper School history teacher said, “I did take the driver’s ed. There was a class that met once a week for a couple of months and then I did four or five drives with an instructor.”
Driver’s Ed has been a ritual for every teen in North Carolina and many other states since the dawn of time. Even during Covid, this right of passage never hit the brakes as students around the country completed the mandatory driving class on Zoom. Tyler Horiuchi ‘24 said, “The hardest part about driver’s ed was the education. I joined a Zoom call for 6 hours over winter break and had to listen to this dude who sounded like he had been smoking. I failed the permit test and I didn’t have to take the driver’s test. ” There are countless obstacles students may navigate on the journey to get their licenses. Lila Highsmith ‘26 said, “The hours ended up taking a whole year to get.” Don’t get too scared though! The experience is different for everyone, just as each horn’s beep is unique. Keller Onstad ‘27 said, “It was kind of easy to be honest. You just had to study and that was it.” No matter how challenging it may feel at the moment, everyone eventually gains their key to freedom.
Once teens finally get their licenses, they are incredibly eager to jump in the driver’s seat and put the pedal to the metal. Slow down for just a second! Before you go, let’s hear from the Charlotte Latin community about their experiences with driving. An anonymous senor said, “I always go 15 over the speed limit on Providence. I like to honk at people when they are holding me up.” Not everyone is a juvenile (or a senior) delinquent, though. Sophia Cartafalsa ‘24 said, “I remember my first time driving—it was to swim practice. I remember feeling really free.” Almost everyone remembers their first time driving; it is a milestone that will not soon be forgotten. Imwalle said, “I was very excited to get my license. I remember taking the driver’s test on my sixteenth birthday. Luckily it went well. Yeah, definitely an exciting day.” Even though it has been awhile since he took the test, he can still remember getting his license and his first time driving. Unfortunately, not everyone has had a smooth ride thus far. Horiuchi said, “I did get into an accident one time but it wasn’t bad. Someone cut in front of me to change lanes and stopped really quickly. I had to stop really fast and my car did the thing where it instantly stops and then the person behind me hit me.” Steer clear of danger everyone.
Some people, however, unwillingly join the workforce the second they obtain their license. Kate Griesser ‘25 said, “I have to pay for my gas, but when it comes to car washes, I don’t because I work at AutoBell. After work I have to grab takeout for my mom.” What we all need to remember is that there are both pros and cons to driving, so think carefully about whether or not you want to shackle yourself to the chains of driving. Brian Dong ‘24 said, “Driving to and from school I drop my sister off and bring her home. I cannot count the number of times I have been to Harris Teeter to buy one thing.” Oh the horror!
Hunter Murphy, retired Dean of Students and current receptionist said, “The only errands that they made me run were driving my other siblings places. There are 5 kids in my family, so I would have to take them places plus I did take over their carpool duty, so I would drive carpool for my mom. Being one of five, I did not get my own car when I got my driver’s license, so I did not have to pay for my gas. We all shared a car.” Everyone cruises through the driving process at their own pace, so people may have to give their friends a lift. Cartafalsa said, “I really love my car, and my friends call it the Sophiacle because it mainly chauffeurs everyone. I do returns, grocery shopping, picking up dinner, and drop off neighbors. I was the first one in my friend group to get my license, so I drove us to and from homecoming.” Remember to help out those in need, but if this makes you change your mind about getting your license, that’s okay.
Driving isn’t the same for everyone though. While it may be the golden ticket for some, others wish they had never gotten their license in the first place. Natalie Gaslin ‘25 said, “I actually enjoy driving more now. I thought it was really stressful to drive with my parents with my permit but it is kind of fun to just drive by myself.” On another positive note, Mari Sideris ‘25 said, “Ever since I got my permit and my license I have loved to drive to school everyday.” On the other side of the coin, Maggie Hyder ‘25 said, “Honestly the excitement faded away. I feel like the first couple of weeks I hadn’t been to certain places yet or driven certain friends around. I think after a month I was just kind of like ‘okay’. It’s nice to have but it’s not as exciting.” In an agreeing standpoint, Maggie Klingman ‘25 said, “I used to go on rides that were very unnecessary just for fun but now I’m just using driving to get places.” Driving can also be a burden, which is another reason why some people don’t like it. Piper Piscatelli ‘26 said, “I don’t like driving. I just find it scary, especially with all the crashes that happen outside of school.” Some students dislike driving because of the added responsibility on top of all of the other teenage duties. Andrew Jiang ‘24 said, “It’s a big hassle because you have to pay attention to the road and you can’t do your work in the car while you’re driving.”
As it turns out, driving isn’t as revved up as it used to be. Some might find it just as incredible as they did when they first got their license, but it really is all subjective. While the milestone still marks the end of one journey and the beginning of the next, its glimmer has dulled over time.
