As the year progresses, more and more of Oratory’s Juniors turn 17 years old. With this birthday comes a great deal of responsibility – a responsibility which cannot be taken lightly. Assuming they pass their road test, these Juniors are now able to drive by themselves. With their new license, juniors are, in theory, given the freedom of being able to travel wherever they want, whenever they want (well, mostly). However, it’s not as simple as that. The problem for many juniors is not passing the road test, but instead having access to a car. 

Some parents are much more willing than others to fulfill this request. In many households, 16-17 year-olds beg their parents for a new car, doing anything in their power to convince them. In others, however, these teenagers do not simply beg (knowing that it will get them nowhere), but use facts and logic to put up a good argument, something most parents have said they enjoy seeing. In fact, some students claim they work harder on convincing their parents to get them a car than they do on most of their school work. Sometimes these plans of attack work, but more often than not, parents have their minds made up before the topic is even brought up. 

However, teenagers nationwide are making compromises with their parents in order to get a “first car.” Whether it be splitting the cost, getting a parents old car, or buying a used car, there are many options for teens to achieve their goal. 

What many parents don’t realize is how easy their lives become if their child does have a car available to them. They no longer have to make 7 am trips to school or pick their children up from parties in the middle of the night. They can send their son or daughter out for groceries or to run an errand when they’re busy rather than doing it themselves. Parents can have their teens pick up their brother or sister from a friend’s house. Ultimately, their lives become a whole lot easier. No longer do they have to coordinate transportation or worry about the pick-up and drop off. Instead, they can take a breath and know that they are free of this time-consuming obligation.