Sooo, how did a teenage girl with an 11 p.m. curfew find herself in a minivan with her own personal Yoda in the middle of Arizona? For one I have really amazing parents that decided to let me go. Long story short, at the end of my senior year of high school my partner in crime decided to drive cross country over the summer and asked if I wanted to go. About a week before the departure, constant begging and attempted angelic behavior paid off when my parents decided I could join him. I finally found truth to the phrase, “When life closes one door, it opens a window.” My mama must have said it to me everyday of my senior year.

The last few months of high school were one wonderful big ass roller coaster of ambivalence. Constant ups and downs were supposed to make me stronger, but most of the time they made me nervous about my future in college and life. Now it sounds naive, but I felt that life had closed so many doors that I would not find enough open windows to succeed. To a teenage girl, the pressures of college, heartbreak, friendship, academics, athletics, and overall achievement seemed like the world.

I spent Pre-K through 12th grade at one school, and was very comforted by the routine I had known all my life. I knew that I was academically and athletically prepared for success, but I was mentally lacking. I felt that I didn't really know who I was or who I wanted to be, and I was afraid I would never find out. Without spirit, the mind and body cannot succeed. I was scared to leave my friends, my school, my home, my dogs, my family, my town, everything that I had known up until graduation. At times it seemed inconceivable (*vizzini voice*) that the high school coaster would come to a stop, but when graduation came, life closed one door and opened a window. A really glorious, life changing window. Aka, a month-long cross country road trip. From the suburbs of Philly to the coastline of California and back again.

1. You Are Free

For the first time in my life, there wasn’t a specific plan or route laid out before me (it was also the first time in my life that I hadn’t shaved for more than four days. No shave July?). You can go wherever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want, while doing whatever you want. Woohoo! Breaking away from a structured high school life made it finally feel like the sky was the limit. You’ll gain a new sense of independence, confidence, and hopefulness that you hadn’t had before. (Photo: The Rocky Mountains, Colorado)

2. You Will Laugh Like Crazy

Laughter is the best medicine, and there’s a 150 percent chance that if you are on the road you will encounter zillions of things everyday that make you laugh like crazy. Some sooner rather than later, and some not until a few days later. The door of your car might fall off, your tent might blow away, you may lose a bumper, you might somehow kill a pet cactus, lose half a toenail, maybe slip down some snow on a mountain, fall off a hotel bed, or just sit and laugh about avocado jokes. Sometimes your cheeks will hurt from smiling so much or you’ll laugh until you cry. You'll forget about your worries and let them go through laughter. (Photo: Calf Creek Falls - Boulder, Utah)

3. Eye Candy

Wonderful, majestic, magical, lovely, delightful, superb, beautiful, glorious. Although these words were used hundreds of times daily, there are really no words that can describe the gorgeousness of this country and all of its hidden gems. Picture that smiley emoji with the heart eyes...that’s basically how I felt everyday. You’ll see more stars in the sky than you thought possible. Keep your eyes open to the world around you, and you will find thrill and beauty in places you might least expect it. Who knew in the middle of Somewhere, Illinois there is a prime spot for cliff jumping? Or purple flowers blooming above the ice of a mountain? Or in the midle of a dry canyon in Utah is a 130-foot waterfall? Or a turquoise lake just off the highway in Colorado? Whomever you go with will see everything you are seeing, but may be viewing it in a completely different way. You’ll learn to see life in a more colorful way and gain new perspectives. (Photo: Hanging Lake - off the highway somewhere in Colorado)

4. You Will Be Challenged

Despite being a runner, I pretty much have two left feet and am just about as graceful as a new born alpaca. My compadre can walk across logs and railings or do flips off of rocks like it’s a piece of cake. I can barely hike down a mountain without face planting. You'll be challenged and you will grow. You’ll come close to running out of gas and face both hypothetical and literal bumps in the road. You'll have to fall asleep snuggling frozen water bottles when it's too hot. You'll never get used to the mosquitos. You'll have to go AGAIN too many times on a long drive. You’ll achieve things you never thought you could, and chances are if you try a new challenge (like rock climbing) you will become addicted. Prior to the trip, I had never stepped foot in a rock gym or climbed anything harder than the rock wall on the Ocean City boardwalk. Within a few hours of being on the trip, we were up and climbing things that I never thought I could. Finding something new and exciting to push you is extremely satisfying once you conquer it. Having someone to motivate you through challenges and keep you smiling will bring out a stronger and better you. According to Miley Cyrus, “Life’s a climb, but the view is great.” Preach Mile. The view really was always great. (Photo: Yosemite National Park, California)

5. You’re Unplugged

Instead of looking at a screen, your eyes are open to the real world around you. You’ll notice things you otherwise wouldn't have before. You’ll listen to the radio and attempt to sing way out of your range. You’ll authentically see life as it is happening right in front of you. You'll be able to connect with people and your surroundings instead of connecting to Wi-Fi. You’ll go without reception for days at a time and you will love it…although your parents probably won't. (Photo: Zion National Park, Utah)

6. You Find Self Awareness

One important thing to know is how humbled you will feel. After spending the last year of high school worrying about so many things, I realized on the road how small my worries were in the grand scheme of life. There’s an amazing number of other events happening on a daily basis that I never really took into consideration. You will meet so many other awesome people and animals from all walks of life are leading their own lives, facing their own troubles, having their own adventures. A mama bear and her cub in Colorado, a couple rock climbing in California. At home, I'd see the same people on a daily basis not only in school but around town as well. I didn’t realize the bubble I had grown up in until I had the chance to step outside of it. I’m not saying that you need to start showering in rivers or sleeping in parking lots in order to step outside of your bubble, but I highly recommend it. Have less, do more, be more. (Photo: Bryce Canyon, Utah)

7. The Memories Will Last Forever

When you have an awesome companion to road trip with, making memories is easy. Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive, and the love you have for your experience will feel indescribable. I completely support the idea that the journey is worth as much as destination, and this was an important lesson to learn going into college. Seeing beautiful mountains, waterfalls, animals, beaches, canyons, arches, lakes, hot springs, cliffs, it was all incredible. But the moments in between were even more so. You and your fellow road tripper(s) will talk about anything and everything, create numerous inside jokes, take a surplus of pictures, and have a bond that will last your whole life. Everyday is an adventure, and if you ever can't fall asleep you'll have the memories to replay in your head. We drove not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. Set up a life for yourself where you feel as though you don’t need to escape. Maybe it's not about finding yourself, but rather creating yourself. Forget about planning and take some risks. I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list. (Photo: Jude The Cactus, Van)