Recently I went on a road trip to a show ski competition. I was pondering whether or not to ride up with my friends or just stick with the fam. Four hours in a car with a group of friends? Sounds great, but at the same time sounds like a recipe for arguments or irritation. After going back and forth I decided I would go ahead and spend the time with my friends. It was summer after all, and once I go back to Notre Dame I really wouldn’t see them, which made me sad.
Turns out I made a great decision. There are a lot of ways to make the drive somewhere just as enjoyable as the destination.
1. The More the Merrier
I’m not saying shove 8 people in a 5-seater, but it’s good to include everyone. Firstly, you don’t want to hurt anyone by deliberately leaving them out. Secondly, a full car of people leads to better conversation and better entertainment for the trip. It might be easy to get bored with just one other person who could fall asleep and leave you hanging while you drive. It’s also a good time to catch up, since it’s pretty rare friends can gather with not much to do but talk.
2. Jam Out
If you would rather avoid talking, which is sometimes best, music makes every road trip better. Some songs are meant to be belted out sing along style, while others are prime for showing off your hidden seated dance moves. You could pick a sort of theme song to play on a loop too. My friends and I probably listened to Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” and Black Eyed Peas’ “Where Is the Love” a dozen times. A little throwback Pandora can’t hurt either. Some old-school Nelly puts everyone in a good mood.
3. Snacks
Of course part of the fun of road trips is the snacks. One of my friends made it his mission to buy the weirdest stuff he could find, which ended up with me eating Zots, a disgusting hard candy that was like a hybrid between a cough-drop and a Warhead. I prefer bringing my own snacks, like grapes, that way I don’t feel like crap from eating bad all day, but at the same time there’s nothing wrong with a little junk food on the road. Caffeine is also essential. I almost always start a road trip out with a coffee from Starbucks. Ibuprofen and Pepto-Bismol are also good “snacks” to keep on hand for headaches or car sickness.
4. Snapchat Stories
This may seem random, but all weekend I kept looking back on Snapchat Stories laughing at us in the car. It’s a fun way to document the trip, from dance sessions to whatever oddities you see on the road. A good caption can even turn someone sleeping or a blank facial expression into a joke.
5. Comfort is Key
A road trip is not the time to dress to impress. Nike running shorts and a t-shirt typically do the trick. The goal is to go for that cute comfy look, something that is presentable for pictures but at the same time doesn’t take much time and avoids real pants. The perfect messy bun should complete the ensemble.
As long as you’re with people you like and keep it lighthearted, road trips can be just as fun as the actual vacation. If you’re looking to spend some time with your friends before returning to school in the fall, find a roomy car and consider taking a weekend trip sometime soon. Go ahead and have your own Crossroads moment. Summer is the time to throw your shades on, roll down the windows, set cruise control and just drive to wherever you want to go.
The HCND application is now open! For more information contact Rebecca Rogalski at rebeccarogalski@hercampus.comor Katrina Linden at katrinalinden@hercampus.com.
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