This semester, at the start of my junior year at Arizona State University, I have decided to take my car to school and bold the grand American road trip. Driving from Boston, Massachusetts to Tempe, Arizona, there was over 2,600 miles to cross on my quest.

1. Bring a buddy!

Bringing another friend or family member with you is crucial because it helps split the driving and curb your insanity when you’ve been stuck in the car for 40 plus hours. The key is to clearly communicate what you expect from the trip with your buddy right from the start, whether you want to see all the sights or just get to your destination as fast as possible.

2. Download music and audiobooks!

DOWNLOAD them!!!!!! I didn’t want to believe it but there are in fact many stretches on the open road that have no radio or satellite reach. If you prefer music to the sound of static noise I suggest moving your content offline for access anytime, anywhere. In addition to that, if you’re interested in not going 13g over on data (oops!). I again suggest simply downloading everything.

3. Bring healthy snacks!

Pack a cooler with your favorite fruits and veggies. These will only last a day which is why I suggest hitting a grocery store at your designated stops. Having healthy snacks will keep you full and fueled with energy. If you’re thinking, “Hey, I bet there’s a fair amount of healthy places to eat along the route!” You are wrong. You drive from early in the morning to late at night so your choices are pretty slim. If you don’t bring your own options you will fall trap to the McDonalds attached to a gas station at some point when you’re starving in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes that’s just all there is.

4. Use Google!

When you do have service, use google maps on your phone to find nearby stops. You can click on the magnifying glass to discover restaurants, gas stations, hotels, or basically anything else along your route. It’s a great way to survey the gas prices and find the cheapest option without getting too far off the highway.

5. Use your Tetris skills to pack!

If you’re bringing all your stuff from home to college make sure you can see out the back of the car. Hone in on those Tetris skills to leave some space because it can be really dangerous to block out an entire line of vision while on the highway for so long. If you have too much stuff look into getting a roof topper. You don’t need a roof rack for some and they can start at as little as $30.00 for a basic soft top. However, be warned of extreme weather. Rain can seep into toppers despite being marketed as “water-proof” and effectively soak everything in the bag. So perhaps don’t leave your valuables up there and reserve it for clothes that can easily be washed.

6. Get off your phones, have a conversation and look out your window!

Don’t use this time trapped in the car staring at your phone. Talk with your driving buddy, play a car game, get to know each other better. This can be a really fun bonding experience with tons of inside jokes just waiting around the corner. Make it fun and personal by staying away from social media and focusing on the trip. When conversation dies down there’s nothing wrong with just staring out the window, which may seem boring but watching the landscapes transform before my eyes was one of the most incredible and soul-awakening experiences of my life.

7. Take pictures!

Take pictures of everything from the Welcome To (enter name of State) signs, to your “We made it!” pic when you finally arrive at your destination. Photograph it all from big moments to the little ones in between. You have no idea how much you’ll treasure those photos until it’s too late so snap, snap, snap a million pics of your wild journey.

8. Utilize rest stops!

If you or your driving buddy wants to stop, just stop. There’s no harm in taking a stretching break every few hours (which I strongly recommend). On top of that, pay attention to the road signs. They will warn you when you’re about to pass the last stop for the next 60 miles or so which means it might be a good idea to take a breather before there’s nowhere else to rest. There may not always be a safe breakdown lane either, especially on some of these long country roads so always, always, always take advantage of the rest stops.

9. Sleep!

My very first cross country trip I ventured from New Orleans to Boston in 31 straight hours of driving. My driving buddy and I were practically delirious by the time we rolled into Boston. The second time around we stopped when we got tired and got a head start on the road early in the morning, feeling rested and rejuvenated. There are usually clusters of hotels/ motels right off the exit so don’t feel the need to continue unsafely.

10. Make a flexible plan!

You shouldn’t decide to drive across the country with zero idea of your route, a cost plan, hotels or driving schedule. The key is to plan all these things out but remain flexible while on route. You may not reach your distance goals down to the mile every night. Being able to adjust as you go and not getting too caught up in exactly following your plan will help keep the trip low stress and easy going.

Good luck and happy wanderlust!