It was the August 28th. The perfect day to take a driving test, right before school started but still summer. Waking up at 8 am, anxiousness bubbled inside me as I got ready for last minute practice. This was the day where I would see if I will be the first to get my license and be deemed with the title of “designated driver.” Next thing I knew, I was sitting in the driver's seat, adjusting my mirrors, waiting for the instructor to give me the queue to back out. The monotone voice of the instructor was the only thing that broke the Ice. Everything seemed to be going smoothly except, for a few inevitable mistakes along the way. While driving on a two-lane, one-way road, I came across a car that was parallel parking into to a space along the sidewalk. Of course, this has never happened to me before, I went into a panicking mode and couldn’t think …show more content…
Somehow, hope made its way in, but it all came crashing down when I heard that I failed my driving test. Apparently, when I passed the parallel parking car, there was another car coming in the other lane. I don’t want to get into too much detail, but I ended up automatically failing. There are no words that could express the disappointment that rushed through me. It was as if everything in me wanted to shut down. I didn’t want to talk to anyone and I definitely didn’t want anyone to know that I failed. The unbelief turned into anger. How could I accomplish something so easily avoidable? I started looking down on myself and thinking that I was a complete failure because both of my older brothers were able to pass on their first try. I eventually became dejected and locked myself in my room, refusing to turn on the light or leave. The main reason I was sad wasn’t that I couldn’t drive, it was because I felt like I had let so many people down. My friends and family all believed that I could succeed. I was locked up for a few hours before my parents came home and barged their way into my
My biggest accomplishment throughout high school so far has been learning how to fail. Not necessarily falling flat on my face in a viral video, but instead just barely coming up short and not being able to reach a goal, despite my best efforts. Although I was unaware of it at the time, failing my driver’s test on my first attempt would become a life altering incident.
Driving defensively is key to avoiding accidents. This refers to anticipating hazards and being prepared for them, or driving and expecting the worst. When I was practicing my driving, my dad told me, “When you feel like another driver is going to make a bad move, assume that they will.” Just because it’s wrong for that other driver to cut you off doesn’t mean they won’t do it, so always plan for the worst of things. The main takeaways of defensive driving are:
My father had fallen ill and was in the hospital for 2 weeks. Coming from a Latino family, I knew it was serious. Men don't go to the doctor unless they really feel like they're on their death bed. And this was my father's turn. But, he is not to blame for my failures because every night that he would call me, his first two questions were always "How was your day?" followed by "Did you do all your homework mija?" As always I told him yes when I really hadn't even opened my backpack. 2.32. The number that signified my first real academic failure. I blamed everyone and anything except for the real culprit. Finally, I realized that this was true all my own fault. If my father had died, I would've had to see him on his death bed knowing I got a 2.32. Yes, I know a 2.32 isn't failing, but the look of disappointment I got from him shattered my world. He told me I shouldn't let things get in my way, school is all I have going for me in my life. He was right. Although he still struggled with his health, I made it my #1 goal to never fall below a 3.0 GPA. I realize that my life doesn't revolve around a number, but it pained me to disappoint my
I hopped in the driver’s seat of my husband big truck and begin to get very anxious. My mind went blank. I all of a sudden forgot which pedal was to brake and which one was for the gas. I had to pull myself together because I was determined to learn how to drive. I put the car into drive and both my hands on the steering wheel. Before I can do anything my husband yelled “Stop, and put your seat belt on!” I started laughing and buckled my seat belt. I put the car into drive, put my foot on the gas, and the truck jerked and sped off. I panicked and put my foot on the brake pedal and the trucked jerked and stopped. I jumped out the car. I no longer wanted to drive. My husband calmed me down and told me it was ok and try again. I got back in the car and said a quick prayer. “Lord please give me the strength and courage to learn how to drive this truck!” I put the car in drive and the car began to move. I felt the I was swerving in and out of the lane and that’s when my husband said that I needed to keep the wheel straight until I’m about to turn. After about ten times of driving straight and turning I started to get the hang of it. I was excited! I was actually driving!
“I am sorry,” the examiner said. “You have to practice more.” Before I passed the driving test, I failed two times. As a result, I have more experience about the proper driving technique because I learned much more from correcting my inadequate driving skills. It may be a formidable challenge for novice drivers to pass the driving test if they don’t follow the appropriate steps. Thus, in order to smoothly pass the driving test, novice drivers should read the Driver’s Handbook, calm the jittery nerves, and observe the traffic conditions.
My grades in the class looked promising, I excelled at the writing and multiple choice portions of the practice tests we took during class. All seemed well until the big test came in May. My teacher told the class that we should not take the make-up test later in the month but instead take the test on the regular test day, regardless if we were sick or not. And just my luck, I was sick on testing day! Not wanting to disappoint my teacher, I took the test while completely ill. All of my studying and hard work paid off because I passed… with a 3. I was devastated. The elusive 5 was taunting me. But I did have a second chance. A time of redemption, which was the AP US History test.
Exactly one month later, all of the fears that happened in the past were returning. Was I going to fail? Was I going to get the same, strict instructor? As I slide out of the car and slowly shut the door, I could only hope that the same person wouldn't be there when I attempted to take my driving test last time. With that thought running through my head, my brain was in overdrive. All the wheels were turning as fast as they possibly could.
What would I be leaving behind if I were to lose my life in a crash where either I was under the influence or another driver was under the influence? The first thing that comes to mind is my father, he would be hit the hardest by my death. I’m his only blood child, I’m his world. I never thought of this when I was taking his alcohol in my sophomore year of high school. I didn't think of who would be affected by it. My gram would be losing who would pretty much her daughter because for years of my life she raised me. I’d be leaving behind my family, my best friend, friends who are like family and the families who’ve taken me under their wing behind to mourn the loss of my life. Drinking and driving, in my opinion, is one of the dumbest things
It failed of course, and to no fault of my own, but I couldn’t help but feel like a failure. I suffered with depression for three months following and I don’t ever recall just feeling so morbidly anxious, and lonely, and upset. After that phase passed I was whacked in the face with school, and college, and too many things I hadn’t thought of before. I felt like the world was falling apart and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Essay “Catch!” , I yelled at Griffin as I threw the keys at him as I was heading to the car before he could even get his shoes on. We started rushing over to our friend’s house to pick up our friends Natalie and Brooke. We had been planning on going to the cottage for the entire summer and it was finally time, as we arrived at Natalie and Brooke’s house they were already waiting outside so they just put their stuff in the back and we were on our way. We got onto the highway and were well on our way.
I pressed harder on the gas pedal. The dial on the speedometer rose from seventy to ninety in what seemed like seconds. I felt my car start to shake a bit from the speed. On the radio, "POWER" by Kanye West was playing. "I've got the power to make your life so exciting", he rapped.
At first, failure was none of my business: I did not really care how high or low my grades were. But when I suddenly experienced what failure was like, I did not like it one bit. In fact, a fear started to grow within me. It was like a hideous, chupacabra-like alien had landed on my territory and I felt I had to do everything to get rid of it. I studied mathematics very hard: harder than I ever had before. I studied how to divide 9 by 3 and 8 by 4, even if I so despised numbers to my very core. I did not like them because they made things abstract to me. Things which I knew became unknown w...
If you have ever watched or heard of NASCAR you would know that when there is a crash it is often huge and deadly, however, the plethora of safety features they use keeps the driver safe. I am not asking for that level of protection but I would like to have a car that is at least in good condition and runs well. It will be worth the cost to fix it if you want it to last longer, and it would not be that much for parts since it is a cheap car. I also know that when the rest of the family drives it they would enjoy having a nicely fixed up ride as opposed to a car that looks like a junker. Getting our car fixed should be imperative rather than optional.
A driver’s license has played a significant role in the lives of many, if not all Americans in the past hundred years or so. The question now is whether driving and the attainment of a license is still not only significant, but also necessary to many Americans. Over eighty percent of driving age Americans have a driver’s license, few report to regularly use public transportation, and getting from one place to another is still critical, so it appears that they are still quite necessary. I have personally felt the immense pressures to gain a driver’s license and have enjoyed the freedoms that are attained along with one. However, many argue that driving is not as important today as it has in the past, reporting that fewer teens are pursuing a
Last year I got involved in a massive car accident. It was the most terrified part of life. It was the moment. I will never forget in my whole life. Before, I never realized how people really feel when a car accident happens.But,after this car accident I know what really it felt like. It was the moment. My mind was totally feared of driving. I was crushed by the hot metal and cold dirt of car. I was not feeling my arm,my body was numbed.It was felt like my lower body pressed down with monster force. All I could feel was the noise of car accident ringing in my ear.I was barely able to move my body. I was kept thinking. What my parents going to think about this? Where is my friend John? I looked through the window and saw the cars passing by