Imagine this: you’ve finished all your assignments, you remembered to pack everything, you’ve locked your room and made the 2-mile trek down your car in South Lot 2. Now, the only thing you have to accomplish is staying sane on the road trip home. Whether your road trip is one hour or ten hours, here are some tips to take the trip from stressful to successful!
1. Waze
Waze is the number one most helpful aspect of any road trip, and also helps with city driving. It works like Siri or Google Maps, but has more accurate traffic reports and will steer you away from slower areas. Plus, it will warn you about potholes, stopped vehicles, animals in the road, and even hidden cops! Be careful, though, because most of its information is user reported.
2. Bring a buddy
This is a tip close to our hearts, since we road trip together for every break. A buddy can keep you focused, read directions, and keep morale up. Plus, it saves both people money to travel together.
3. Create a playlist
During the stressful finals week, take a study break to create an awesome playlist that will keep your spirits up and keep you awake in the car during dark winter nights. Plus, if you bring a buddy, they can act as a car DJ.
4. Know when to stop
Most people stop as little as possible, and combine meals with filling up on gas and stretching their legs. However, you need to make sure that you’re not pushing yourself too far, or you will be grouchy at best and dangerous at worst. When we took a road trip to New York City this summer, Lena refused to give Rebecca any of her bagel from the 24-hour Dunkin Donuts on the Jersey Turnpike. If we had stopped for dinner at a normal hour, none of that would’ve happened. Don’t be like us.
5. Bring snacks
On the same note, make sure you have snacks in the car so if you do end up driving past 8 PM in a rural area, you won’t go crazy. Try for a mix of healthy and crunchy snacks, to make sure you stay awake.
6. Make sure your car is in order
Before you leave, make sure you’re not due for an oil change. Checking your oil is actually very easy, and only takes a clean rag. You can also check your tire pressure at most auto body shops, including the one on Kenyon’s campus. They will check your tires for free if you ask, and also have air to inflate them if necessary. Don’t ignore weird noises or lights during the drive, or you might end up like Annie Devine.
7. Make sure your life is in order
Be sure to check for your insurance, license, and registration before you leave. In addition, remember your house keys for when you get home, and your room keys for when you return to campus. Pack a phone charger, and if you can, pack the day before you leave so you have enough time to remember everything.
8. Keep people posted
When you’re at rest stops, be sure to text your parents, your roommates, or whoever asked to know when you get home safely. This is a good way to not feel so isolated on the road. Plus, it’s nice to let whoever you’re staying with for break know your ETA.
9. Know the roads
Keep updated on weather conditions, and if you can, check to see if there’s any construction on your route. Again, Waze is a great resource and should catch all of those things, but either way, it’s good to prepare yourself mentally for more difficult or frustrating driving conditions. It’s also good to know if you’re going to be driving through a city during rush hour, which might affect when you’d want to make a rest stop to avoid some traffic.
10. Enjoy the ride
Wherever you’re going, there’s bound to be beautiful sights on the way. The semester is almost over, and you’ll be on your way before you know it. Pretty soon, you’ll be in the car, driving towards a fun and restful winter break.
Here are our tips! We hope you all have a wonderful and restful break!
Image credits: Lena Mazel, Zack Zinck