Every student, when starting their life in college, dreams about having a car. And some parents also think that a car is an essential thing for their students. But before making the final decision whether to have or not to have a car in college, please read the article below and consider the following pros and cons.
Disadvantages
Additional expenses
Having a car is not cheap at all, and not everyone can afford to buy a car for their child. And you have to not only buy the car but also spend money on gasoline every week or even more often, take your car to a mechanic on a regular basis for the required maintenance, and buy some spare parts, such as filters or an additional set of tires, that can sometimes be quite expensive. You should also consider the possibility of fines, even though you might be a very careful driver.
You have to get insurance
First of all, you have to spend money on it as well. And you have to take into consideration that rates for young and inexperienced drivers are higher than for those who have had a driving license for some time. Moreover, it is not as easy as it might seem to find a good insurance company. So it’s not a bad idea to find and read some reviews. If, for example, a future nurse during studies wants to use a writing service, the most common question will be, “How to find an essay service for a nurse student?”. And the answer is quite easy. You have to read reviews. After doing that, you will understand that there are many not very reliable companies; for example, check custom writings review, and you will understand that in order not to spend money and time in vain, it’s better not to use this service. The same happens with any service, even if it’s the one that provides insurance. Just read reviews and switch on your critical thinking.
Parking might be a problem
And again, we have to start with the fact that you have to pay for parking. Parking space is not free in many colleges, but sometimes there are even no such options; some colleges just don’t have enough space for that. And, of course, no one wants to leave the car just outside, with no guards or cameras.
Advantages
Wherever and whenever you want
The biggest advantage for every student with a car is the possibility to make a decision about where to go and when. You don’t depend on other people, on public transport. It is especially important when you don’t live on campus, and you have to commute every single day. It’s always nice to be independent, not to ask for a ride, not to have to try to get on a crowded bus, and if you walk to college, you can take your time over breakfast. For example, if you have a car, you don’t have to spend time walking.
Drive and earn
Your car can help you earn some money because you can be an Uber driver or a “sober” driver. Of course, the income will not be enormous, but you will always find a way to spend some additional dollars or just save up until the next visit to the mechanic.
More possibilities to spend your free time
With the car, you can organize your leisure time in a more interesting way: excursions to other cities or even states, picnics in some beautiful places or nights out with your friends, going to a restaurant for dinner or visiting drive-in cinemas. The car also gives you the possibility to see your family more often if you study not far from your hometown. Car rides can be more comfortable for some people if they are afraid of flying, for example, or hate crowded trains. And the car is also a great shelter in case of heavy rain or snow when you need to hide and wait for the weather to become better.
As something that is neither pro nor con but is worth taking into consideration, we can mention driving skills. Parents should consider this factor when deciding on a car. Speeding, history of fines, and ticketing, especially if it happened when they still were at school, should be a red flag for parents and should make them even more conscious when deciding about the car for their student. Being a responsible driver should be one of the basic conditions for being the owner of a car.
In conclusion, we can say that such an important decision regarding the car should be made by both parents and their child taking into consideration all the pros and cons, as well as the personal qualities of the future car owner, that should be responsible, careful and be able to take responsibility.
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