/Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_yg4jj345btjljg55j34asznj_774aee89-ecd9-4699-a62b-72ff98c1982c_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 18 May 2013 22:19:48 GMT 15 By Andrea Mariani
It is something that almost everyone goes through and something that always comes along with interesting stories: It is getting your driver’s license. The first step in getting a license is to take classes that will prepare you for the road ahead. Everyone must first complete this class. Students taking the driving class typically range from freshmen to older sophomores. Anyone is allowed to take it after they turn 15. “My cousin and I are eleven days apart and we went to the same school, so we took the class together,” Mr. Peter Weiss, theology teacher, explained. “I still remember the Goofy and the Traffic Jam video.” Next, each person must take a series of lessons behind the wheel with a driving instructor. A total of six lessons are to be completed before one can take the driving test. “I don’t really like the driving lessons because it is awkward when the instructors try to make small talk with you,” said Morgan Hoeft, junior at NDA. Finally, after accumulating all of the information to know how to drive safely and successfully, scheduling the driving test is next. “I had to literally schedule my road test over three months in advance. It was so difficult to find a date, and I had to check for an open spot every day until I finally got one,” junior Lauren Frye said. The driving test is the moment the soon-to-be driver has been waiting for and thinking about for years. It all comes down to this day, this moment. For many, nerves get the best of them. “I was so nervous but as soon as I passed, it was such a relieving feeling,” said junior Michael LaTorre. But be careful and attentive because one wrong move could cost you your license. “I almost auto-failed because when I went over train tracks, my foot wasn’t hovering over the brake pedal, but the driving instructor said she let me get away with it,” Campus Minister Daniel Kriegl said. “I got about four points off because the woman couldn’t see if I was checking the mirrors as much as I should have been,” junior Lisa Escott said. If and when a person passes the test, it is an awesome feeling and a good feeling of knowing everything paid off in the end. “It felt like Christmas,” sophomore Eric Myer said. “When I got my driver’s license on the first time, I felt really good,” Mrs. Barb Brandtner, art teacher, explained. “All of my sisters passed on their second or third time, so it really gave me a great deal of confidence.” That confidence can be too much of a good thing, though. Experts say that even though a new driver’s lessons are finished, the police are always on the lookout ready to give out tickets if the law is being broken. “I’ve been pulled over about sixteen times. My first ticket was my senior year of high school when I was going 55mph in a 25mph zone,” Mr. Kriegl said. Many adults report that after awhile, after the thrill of the road is gone, a license does not seem so special anymore. “I remembered thinking about getting my license and being excited. It was all I could think about for years, but then I got it, and it wasn’t a big deal anymore,” Mr. Weiss said. ]]> Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:52:51 GMT