We’ve all done it; turned up the radio a little to drown it out, put a cute figurine on the dashboard so you can’t see the emergency lights, pretended you don’t smell that slight scent of burning-something that hangs in the air for a second after you turn your key…
We’ve all done it because, the truth is, none of us have the time or money to deal with car troubles in college.
The automobile is a magical invention created as a means of getting you from A to B. I know this better than anyone because oftentimes my A is in Michigan and my B is in Ohio, so driving is kind of a fact of life for me.
But let’s be honest: cars are money-pits. Whether it happens now or five years from now, something is going to go wrong, and both you and your wallet will suffer for it.
For example, I went out to my car bright and early Monday morning, turned it on, and winced when I noticed that my low-tire pressure light was on for the second time in five days. Dreading what I already knew, I got out of the car with my pressure gauge in hand and reaffirmed that it was, in fact, the same tire that was low. Again.
With a heavy heart, I called a local shop and made an appointment to get a flat fixed.
My train of thought while all of this was happening?
“I don’t have time for this. How much is this going to cost me? Can I afford it right now? I just had to pay rent yesterday, maybe I can walk this week…”
For all their convenience, when it comes down to it, cars are a pain in the ass, and if you can hold off on dealing with that while in college, count yourself lucky.
As for me, I’m going to turn up the music, plaster over my dashboard, and lean into the tilt my car has while it rides down State Street on its rims.
Click here to read last week’s Chat with the Chief focused on minimum wage.