My experience learning to drive!

In March this year I started learning to drive. On my 17th birthday I woke up feeling a mixture of anxiousness and excitement to get behind the wheel for the first time. (I have never even tried to drive before.) I was so excited, it finally felt like I was starting to take control of my own life. We started on the backroads for the first 2 lessons to get used to the manual gear box, finding the 'biting point' is every beginners hell. The instructor then gradually built up the intensity until I was sat behind the wheel on a motorway at around my 4th lesson. From that lesson onwards everything my driving instructor took me through was going to be on the final test. This included 4 manoeuvres which you'd only have to perform one on the actual test which were: Reverse parking, Reversing round a corner, Parallel parking and a 3 point turn. My personal favourite was the 3 point turn. I then learned emergency stops which around 1/3 people get asked to do and finally there are 10 show me tell me questions which you only get asked 2. Around my 10th lesson I took my theory test for the first time and passed!! Sadly due to my holiday to California and my instructor having her own personal holiday (She deserved it after teaching me!!) I would miss a month before September when i wanted to take my test. So I booked it in early!

It was so nerve-wracking, for some reason the days coming up to it I didn't feel one ounce of nerves but the last 10 minutes sat in that test centre were the most nervous I've ever felt...probably ever.  My test was at 9:07 so I didn't give myself time to worry about it that much on the day. I got a really nice man which was a plus as he made me feel so comfortable right from the second I met him. We went a really nice route which i'd done a few times so felt totally comfortable doing that route. However, out of the four manoeuvres Bay park and Reverse around a corner were my worst two and this particular corner (which was the hardest) I got on my test, of course I did. But I thought I did okay on it consider the hour before i'd messed it up completely! I should also note that my emergency stop was not my strong point but I managed to do them in my lessons within a good time, luckily it didn't come up on my test! So, by the time i'd done my four manoeuvres and got round about 3 roundabouts it was time to head back to the test centre! When your driving instructor says the test goes quickly, it goes quickly. 

We pulled up into the first bay as I was the first leaner back and the examiner turns to me and goes: Well, I'm glad to say you've passed with....NO MINORS?! ID DONE IT! Id actually passed and to make it even better I hadn't got a single thing wrong. I was so proud of myself. Just goes to show if you put the hard work in you can do it. The immediate feeling of freedom is incredible! 

Anyway, that was my personal experience with learning to drive. Its taken me four months and 2 weeks to do.  If you have anything to say about your experience learning to drive please don't hesitate to comment below! 

Grace x