When I was told I was getting a car for my sophomore year of college, I was ecstatic. My enthusiasm for cars goes unmatched. Possibilities of what kind of car I was going to get starting bouncing through my mind. Maybe a small Volkswagen GTI? No, too expensive. Maybe a used little BMW to zip around school in? Eh, too dangerous. Wait I got it, a Ford Focus, perfect! It's not too small and it's very affordable.

Spoiler Alert: I was wrong, very wrong. Instead, my parents told me I would be getting my sister’s sorority sticker covered, lilac and rainbow smelling, aggressively boring Kia Sportage.

I’m not some spoiled brat who threw a tantrum when he found out he wasn’t getting his own new car. I was still very appreciative of the car I would be getting and was fortunate to have a car to myself in the first place. What I didn’t realize is that I would end up falling in love with this character lacking, joke on wheels.

Before getting a car for myself I had two preferences for a car. How cool it looked, and how fast it went. Like any other testosterone-driven teenage boy, finding out you were getting a slow, feminine vehicle did not go over well for me. However, after having this car for a few months I realized how great of a car it was for the situation I was in. I am a broke college student who would rather go hang out with his friends than go to class. Well, the Kia Sportage was perfect for that. I don’t think I have filled up the gas tank since September (not like I could afford to anyway) and it can fit me and four friends comfortably and five if someone’s willing to ride in the trunk. This Kia even came with additives that I didn’t even think of. It is new enough to have a USB cord so I can charge my phone. It has a great stereo system and it even has a rear view camera. I didn’t realize how important a rear view camera would be until I got to a place where everyone around is just like me: a young, naïve, inexperienced driver. There have been some very close calls. Regardless, My Kia is the perfect car for a jobless college student like myself.

I wouldn’t trade my Kia Sportage for anything. Ok, maybe that statement isn’t entirely true. I still have my eyes on that Ford Focus. However, when it comes to college, preferences for a car become more about practicality more so than pure looks. If you are in the market for a new car and you are a college student, I’m not telling you to go buy a Kia Sportage, although it is very affordable. Rather, consider all the practical uses of a car before you buy. There’s a car out there for any and every college student, and hey, it may even be your sister’s.