While the Covid 19 situation may look grim for the thousands of high school students in Chesterfield, many students still have something to look forward to: their driver’s license. However, the already obtuse system of getting a driver’s license has become substantially more difficult in the Covid era. Students slog through mountains of DMV paperwork to achieve the coveted privilege of a driver’s license- but not without significant obstacles.

Over the past few months, DMV appointments  have piled up in the DMV’s backlog, preventing teens from getting an appointment. This effect compiled on itself, causing drivers that would have normally gone into the DMV for their license process to instead delay their license for months longer. 

“I was originally supposed to get my permit in May and I didn’t end up getting it until September. This made me not get my license until June when I could’ve had it in April,” said Ciara Tucker, a senior. 

It’s considered normal for new drivers to feel nervous, anxious, or scared once they begin to drive. The best way to overcome these feelings is by taking a driver’s training course. Once you start to go out and practice, you will eventually get more comfortable with your driving skills. Doing this can simply make driving second nature. 

“It’s awesome, a little scary at some points, but the more I drove, the better I got. You will eventually get the hang of it,” said Mimi Scott, a junior 

A junior at Manchester, Sophia Mena, commented that “now that I am able to drive, I don’t have to ask my parents to take me places. It’s nice being able to go where I need to go with my own timing without having to rely on others.”

Many students have begun to discover the responsibilities that come with the privilege of driving. Ciara commented, “A drawback would be having to drive far distances and dealing with other drivers on the road, but I do like driving. It gives me more freedom and I’m able to stay out. One of my favorite things about driving would be being able to blast music in my car.” With the pandemic raging, and no end in sight, students are hoping something will change with the DMV process to allow them to drive.