Sophomore Stephanie Schuljak walks out of the DMV with her new driver’s license in hand. She has just passed her driving test. She finally has some freedom.
“I enjoy having my own ride but I kind of miss my mom driving me around,” Schuljak said. “It’s a lot of responsibility when you’re running out of gas and don’t want to have to deal with it.”
In preparation for her test, Schuljak arrived at the DMV an hour early.
“I drove around there so I could be familiar with he street signs,” Schuljak said. “There’s always weird things [to look out for].”
Schuljak believes the hardest part of her driving test was parallel parking.
“I’m not very good at parallel parking and I was really nervous which made it 10 times harder,” Schuljak said.
On Oct. 2, 2010, Schuljak and her friends were on a trip to Wal-Mart when she got in her first and only accident. While backing out, Schuljak hit a trash bin, leaving a dent. She tried to hide the accident from her parents.
“I felt disappointed in myself because I knew the trash can was there. I was embarrassed that I made that mistake. It was like missing something easy on a test,” Schuljak said.
Unlike Schuljak, sophomore Dane Rombach failed his driving test on his first attempt. When he pulled out of the DMV, he hit the curb, disqualifying him.
“I knew I could have passed and I know I did not try as hard as I could have. I went back the next day and got a perfect score,” Rombach said.
According Rombach the hardest part of the test was the test itself.
“Getting out there and trying to go trough all the motions and not making mistakes was the hardest parts.” Rombach said.
After passing his driving test the second time, Rombach drives everywhere.
“Coming to school everyday by yourself is definitely fun,” Rombach said. “It’s more freedom.”
Rombach recommends new drivers be smart about what they do.
“Obviously, don’t go over the speed limit or do anything stupid,” Rombach said