With the hectic driving schedule of any school attendee, transportation can become quite costly and boring.  Driving back and forth from home to school, to Career Center and back again becomes a chore no one wants to do alone.

There are many carpooling advantages, one of the most popular being the environmental impact of two or more people riding in a car.  Driving to and fro all day, vehicles emit carbon and other gases into the atmosphere, polluting it.  When more people carpool, fewer cars are on the road; consequently, less gases are pumped into the air, keeping it cleaner, which is more beneficial to your health.  Another advantage of fewer cars being on the road is the reduction of traffic, making your trips faster.  There are fewer cars in the parking lot, making it easier to park and get in and out of the lot.

It is understandable that some simply just want to drive by themselves; there are fewer distractions and less chance of getting in trouble.

However, carpooling often makes car rides more delightful.  A group of your friends smushed into a car, screaming along to loud music trumps sitting in solitude and staring at the road any day.  These are people you can vent to about things that happened to you during the school day.  They are also there to help you with a quick car ride study session while you’re driving them because you can’t do it for yourself.

“I really like my carpool,” said senior Alex Facer.  “We always have a good time coming back from Career Center.  We sometimes go get food together and have funny conversations.”

Any student driver knows the task of paying for gas.  It can be quite an annoying necessity as there are so many other things to buy than fuel for our vehicles.  Carpooling takes that weight off your shoulders for a while.  Spreading out the task of driving amongst three or four people really lightens the load on a close-to-empty teenage wallet.

“One of the main reasons I wanted to have a carpool was so I didn’t have to pay for the gas if I drove myself to Career Center and back every day,” said junior Tiara Caldwell.  “It worked out because in my carpool, I either drive in the mornings for a month or the afternoons for a month.”

Carpooling isn’t just an excuse to ride in the HOV lane on the highway, it gives you an opportunity to prepare for the day and unwind when it’s done with some close friends.  They can help lower your stress level and brighten a bad day.  If you were by yourself in the car, nothing would be there to distract your mind from the constant worries of everyday life–school, grades, family.  It is important to have people there to give you something else to think and talk about.

The environmental benefits and quicker travel times are just icing on the cake when it comes to a carpool.  Make your car rides fun and join a carpool.