As the years fly by, so do the ages of responsibility. Some of these responsibilities being things like getting a job, filling out college applications, but most applicable, getting a driver’s license. There are steps to receiving your license, which evidently a lot of juniors and seniors have completed, but there are also a number of upperclassmen who don’t have their licenses.
Though many people are quick to judge a teens lack of licensing, there are many reasons contributing to this. Though these interferences differ depending on the person, it’s often that teens have anxiety when it comes to the concept of driving.
“I really am nervous every time, even when I’m driving in an empty parking lot [or] if I see a car approaching from 100 feet away,” junior Samara Marshall said. “I feel pressured because everyone else around me is getting their license, and I’m the only one that doesn’t have it, but I don’t really have anyone to teach me how to drive [because] my parents work a lot.”
Even though students suffer these drawbacks, the same students also identify the reasons teens should have their licenses, and why a license would be beneficial regarding concepts like freedom, independence, and overall responsibility.
“I really want my drivers license because I want to be able to do things without asking my parents or somebody else,” Marshall said. “I think it’s really important because asking somebody else to take you isn’t being very independent, you’re depending on somebody else.”
Most students want their license, but are simply too busy to begin the process. Junior Devika Mohan shared that it would be more convenient, but school and other things get in the way.
“I think [driving is] very freeing,” Mohan said. “I want my license, because I want to get more places, but I just don’t have the time to start, and I’m pretty lazy.”
For some students, having a license would mean having to choose between the license or your extracurriculars. This is the case for senior Kaitlyn Kenney, who is prioritizing theatre, but simultaneously faces the pressure to drives from other people, and understands the necessity of a driver’s license.
“Absolutely [I feel pressured], by literally everyone,” Kenney said. “Both people who are younger than me and older than me. I chose to do theatre instead of doing my license prep and stuff, so now I spend all of my free time at rehearsals. But, it would make my life a lot easier if I could drive myself to and from work and school.”
