Road trips are a wonderful thing. Typically it involves cramming as many people and suitcases as possible into a vehicle and heading to a new destination. Stories are told and memories are made alongside friends and family inside of an overpacked car that typically smells of snacks and some type of caffeinated drink.
But what about taking a road trip alone?
I don't mean mandatory trips or having a time limit and feeling rushed, I mean the type of trip where you have a destination, but no schedule. While it may sounds lonely or boring to take a trip alone, it can actually be a great experience. As someone who has taken long road trips alone for the last three years, it has become something that I look forward to. I'll admit that I'm not brave enough to know how to be alone when I arrive. There's always someone else who meets me there or I'm visiting. But I'm working on how to be able to go somewhere without anyone else for the entire trip. Until then, I'm happy with spending hours alone in a car, just me, my thoughts, and the open road. It has taught me to enjoy being by myself while teaching me how to figure out new situations on my own.
Here are the main two reasons why you should take a road trip by yourself.
1. It's all about you
You don't have to worry about stopping whenever someone needs to go to the bathroom or get a snack. You can stop as much or as little as you'd like. You also get to choose where you want to eat and often as well as playing whatever you'd like on the radio. You also get to choose which routes you want to take along the way and drive as slow or fast as you'd like. You get to make decisions that are entirely about you and take a break from basing your decisions on anyone or anything else.
2. You learn how to handle situations alone
I've had a few scares while driving in new situations. From driving in extreme fog through the mountains in Arkansas to learning how to carefully drive over sheets of glass after an ice storm hit Texas, it's all been a learning experience. While I don't promote driving in unsafe situations, road trips to new places are never perfect. Even something as simple as losing WiFi and learning how to manually map your way across a new state can be challenging at times.
I've learned how to not panic in uncomfortable situations and to always be alert and pay attention. Things happen, but as long as you stay calm you'll learn how to get through them
While there are many reasons why taking road trips alone are a good idea, these two always stand out to me the most. It's a time to be alone with your thoughts, to make your own decisions, and to learn from new experiences.
So next time you want to go somewhere new, do it! Don't be afraid of being alone, but instead, embrace the idea of it and you'll learn how to more independent and adventurous all on your own.
