Over the weekend I regained some pride and freedom by finally being able to bring a car on campus.

After three semesters spent “sharing” a car with my younger sister, to say I was ready to have my own vehicle would be an understatement.

I guess you could say that I’m going to “see ya in my Kia” because I am the proud new owner of a 2003 Kia Sorrento.

Prior to my fabulous Kia, the last car I was cruising around in was a Pontiac Aztek, or as my friends liked to call it, the drug mobile.

Apparently in the hit television drama “Breaking Bad” the main character Walter White drives a Pontiac Aztek, selling illegal drugs out of the back seat of the vehicle.

While I’ve never seen the show, it quickly became a running joke amongst my co-workers that I was dealing drugs out of my old crappy car.

I also was roasted quite a few times for owning a car originally designed for outdoor camping, considering I’m hardly an outdoor adventurer.

Perhaps the biggest blunder in automotive history, the Aztek attempted to combine a car and a camper, selling the idea of sticking a tarp on the back of your hatch and calling it a tent.

When I first got my Aztek it actually didn’t have a center compartment because the compartment doubled as a removable drink cooler and I guess the previous owner decided she needed some extra beverage storage so she took it with her.

She also decided to take the entire sound system out of the car, leaving me without a radio for weeks until I could install a new one.

Basically my first car, despite being a tank in the snow, was pretty crappy as most first cars are.

My sister was lucky enough to inherit the Aztek when I left for school and although I missed having a car readily available, I didn’t particularly miss the Aztek itself.

Now that I have a sweet new ride, I can now enjoy all the benefits that come with having a vehicle.

I don’t have to ask my friends for rides everywhere, I don’t have to walk to and from campus in the rain and I don’t have to have a family member pick me up every time I want to go home.

If I want to go to Moe’s for dinner I don’t have to bribe a friend to take me, I can just take myself.

If I’m feeling ambitious, I can drive myself to Presque Isle for a run, or instead, stop at Sara’s for some ice cream.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the places I can visit, but in all actuality I probably won’t go anywhere because I’m used to doing nothing and I’m very good at finding excuses to be anti-adventurous.

Regardless, it’s still nice to know that I have some freedom, although I probably won’t use it.

As of now, the only driving I’ve done in my new car has been from the left to the right side of the street I’m parked on in an attempt to avoid a parking ticket.

Although the trip was only 30 seconds total, it was still exciting to be in my own car doing my own thing.

Perhaps this weekend I’ll actually travel farther than 100 feet and go someplace to actually do something.

Then again, maybe not. But hey, at least I have options.

OLIVIA BURGER
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