This past weekend, my roommate, mom, and I decided to pack up and take a little road trip. Well, not exactly little. We drove to visit my roommate's family in Indiana- We live in South Mississippi. So it was about a 20 hour round trip in 3 days time. But it was so worth it.
Ya know, you get to know people on the road. Perhaps one of my favorite things about road trips is all the time that you actually get to spend with the people that you are traveling with. Because you are confined inside a small car with other people for however long, you get to be very creative with how you keep yourselves entertained. Jam sessions are always appropriate, maybe even binge watch a movie or TV series together. But perhaps the best thing to do is to put away all phones and other technology, and just talk. Honestly, you learn so much about yourself and other people when there is nothing else to talk about. Some of the best and most significant conversations I have had with someone else, took place in the car while just driving around. There is just something about that safe, but also unknown, atmosphere just makes people open up like a book. Road trips provide the perfect opportunity for you to talk to someone about that one thing you have been meaning to bring up, or even just getting to know that one person that you have always thought it would be cool to be friends with.
Even if you are by yourself, you can learn so much about who you are as a person when all you have in front of you is the open road. Whenever I drive for hours and hours by myself, I have such an overwhelming feeling of happiness by the time I get home, simply because I have had so much time to reflect on my life. My world is so crazy, constantly, insanely busy. When I get the chance to just have time to myself and truly clear my mind of all distractions, things change for the better. Time alone in the car is one of the best ways, I have found, to escape and take time for myself.
On this road trip, I grew even closer to two of my best friends. This trip made me realize how truly blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life and something so simple as traveling down on the open road with two people who have impacted my life so much gave yet another reason to be thankful. Road trips bring people closer, and give you a sense of bonding that you can never take back or find anywhere else.
I encourage everyone to think of the person or people that mean most to you, and don't be afraid to pack a bag and go a road trip with them! Put the phones away for a little while and really truly talk to them. Go experience life and new places with the people that are special to you. Make lasting memories with the ones that matter to you. Be willing to learn and grow together and build each other up. Get away from the world that you're in, and form relationships that will last a lifetime.
