The summer months are quickly and scarily approaching. For those of you that have friends and have nothing to do, maybe it’s time that you make that, “Wow, one day we really need to take a road trip together!” exclamation into a reality.
Here are some directions for taking a road trip, and (major) keys to success.
1. Remember to pick a destination.
It is not wise to aimlessly wander through the woods, desert, or boulevards of Los Angeles. Have a place in mind that you want to go, so that you can pick cool places to stop along the way. I’m pretty sure that I came up with this line, but in any case, remember, “It’s not the outcome that matters. It’s the things you see along the way that are the best part of the journey.”
2. Have an idea of how you will get there.
Unless you are a cartographer, you will need some sort of map. It can be a GPS device, but those often tell you to get off the highway at the wrong exit and then you are like, “Wait, I wasn’t planning on going to South Dakota, though.” So an unchanging paper map or printed Map Quest directions are the way to go.
3. Stack the snacks.
There is no point in going on a road trip if there isn’t an ample supply of nourishment in the car at all times. It is better to over purchase snacks than under purchase -- you can always save the extra snacks and give them to a friend and say, “Hey, I was thinking of you, and got you your favorite snack!” That friend will now love you forever because he or she will not know it was simply a leftover car snack. Some snack ideas include, but are not limited to: juice boxes, Gushers, Doritos, beef jerky, Dunk-a-roos, and celery.
4. Designate roles in the car.
Driver: must be awake while the hands are (hopefully) on the wheel. This person has the say over what the car temperature is and when the car shall take pee breaks. This person should have a decent sense of direction, and good vision.
Shotgun: should be double checking -- at all times -- that the car is headed the right way. This person must also be respected enough to serve as car DJ and taking Snapchats of the car as he/she has the most advantageous angle.
Passengers: keepers of the snacks. These are also the people who, unbeknownst to the driver who continues talking to them, pass out in the back. They're ones who yell to put on the A/C or turn the music up. They also Snapchat without including the people in the front.
5. Get gas.
No one wants to get stuck on the side of the road. It is, however, a good idea to wait until you are in the middle of nowhere to get gas because even though your credit card company might think you have fraud on your card, the gas is cheaper.
6. Get back in one piece.
Self-explanatory.
