Driving from central Pennsylvania to southern North Carolina for spring break was possibly the most fun car ride I ever experienced. However, while some car rides are really fun, others are pretty unbearable. We can all agree that long car rides can bring enjoyable times, like jamming to your favorite songs with your best friends or driving by beautiful landscapes. Of course, long car rides can also have not-so-fun times. We must all learn how to make the best of this inevitable part of life. These ten aspects of long car rides are the best and worst experiences that you are bound to encounter on your long journey!
The Worst
The car sickness.
If you're like me, headaches and nauseousness are inevitable on long car rides. The lack of fresh air and constant movement can be a nightmare -- especially if you have to read or try to look at your phone. Finding relief for car sickness can be impossible. At times, car sickness is one of the most dreaded consequences of long car rides.
Being unproductive.
When you get in the car for a long trip, you come prepared with homework to do and magazines to read. However, somehow nothing ever gets done. Before you know it, you've already wasted half of the ride staring out the window or refusing to read because you will get a headache. Either way, car rides are known for being a prime cause of unproductiveness.
It is impossible to sleep comfortably.
Lay against the window? No. Try to find a comfortable spot between those horrible headrests? No, thank you! Sleep on the shoulder of the person next to you? Forget it! Road trips can make you insanely tired. Sadly, attempting to sleep is more difficult than you could imagine! If you are planning a long car ride in the near future, I would advise taking a pillow. However, that still won't help with those pesky neck pains you'll get from sleeping in an awkward position!
Fighting over the music.
You may bring your favorite CDs and make an amazing playlist on your phone in preparation for your road trip. However, you cannot forget that everyone else in the car probably did the same thing! You stepped in the car hoping for pop and 80s jams, but to your surprise, you're probably going to end up listening to country and rap at some point on the long drive. Unfortunately, not everyone will agree on every song played...
The driving, itself.
It is obvious that driving is a part of long rides. However, it can be one of the most awful parts. The driver may be terrible at driving and cause you to fear for your life when you cross through every intersection. However, being the driver yourself can be even worse. You count down the miles and minutes until you will be relieved of your driving duties. By the time you finally get to where you are going, you feel as if your foot is going to fall right off of your leg!
The Best
Playing car games.
Car rides can seem like they take forever and a day! However, playing games and finding ways to pass the time can provide for great memories. You can play the alphabet game (use words on signs and licence plates to complete the alphabet), try to find a licence plate from every state you can or simply play "20 Questions." No matter what you do, get creative and have fun!
Karaoke.
It may not be "Carpool Karaoke" with James Corden, but singing along to your favorite songs will pump up the mood of everybody in the car! You can have fun trying to rap the super-fast parts and belting out the ballads. Before you know it, you've reached your destination! Karaoke is the perfect way to keep your mind off of the bad aspects of the ride and also a way to have an insane amount of fun!
Quality friend time.
A road trip can be a great way to bond with your best friends! If you are looking for a way to spend time with your favorite people while also doing something fun, go on a road trip. Not only will you get to create amazing, priceless memories, but you will also get to go places that you may have never been to before. Road trips are perfect for bonding and story telling, and therefore are essential for best friends.
The snacks and restaurants.
Food is quite possibly the best part of a road trip! When you feel like you have been in the car for what seems like 50 hours, your stomach starts to grumble and then you remember you packed all of your favorite cookies, granola bars and an endless supply of sandwiches! But even better than the snacks... the restaurants! Seeing the glorious exit sign with your favorite restaurant on it will provide you with relief like no other.
The ultimate destination.
When all is said and done and the road trip finally comes to an end, you get to where you were dreaming of the whole ride there! The driving may have seemed endless, but you know now that it was all worth it. You've been counting down the minutes, and the moment you finally arrive and step out of the car is the best! It is now time to relax and have fun on your vacation! But, don't forget -- you have a whole ride home to make even more new memories! Enjoy the ride!
