It's late afternoon, everyone in our minivan is tired and we are about four-and-a-half hours from our night's stopping point. This was the situation I found myself in on the way back from our Alternative Spring Break trip to Slidell, La. We had decided previously to split the trip back to Charlottesville into two parts. The general feeling was that this was safer because our insurance policy prevented anyone but the two people who rented our minivans from driving. Having the same person drive each car for 16 hours straight didn't seem like a good idea.
Suddenly our car received a text from someone in the other van: "Hey we're making good time, why don't we just drive straight through?" This led to an audible groan within our vehicle. Several people immediately fired off more reasons why this was a bad idea. Being a safety nut, I quickly added my own opinion to the din. I thought it was a dangerous decision. Our driver already appeared tired, and besides, we had sleeping arrangements for the night in place. Why mess with the plan now?
During the next hour, an argument between our vans began to escalate until we pulled over to discuss it in person. There were strong opinions on both sides, and even people who appeared impartial were swept up into the debate as proponents for either side tried to sway them. At last, with much grumbling on the part of my van, the decision was made to drive straight through to Charlottesville without stopping for a night's rest in North Carolina.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I don't always take it kindly when things don't work out my way. So I was more than a little grumpy in the backseat when I realized I would be sitting there for much longer than originally anticipated. I wasn't the only one. The mood in our van had soured noticeably, and the hostile texts between vans were proof that everyone was a little peeved. For an hour or two, it seemed fragile new friendships we had spent a week cultivating were jeopardized. Would this one fight on the last night of our trip taint all the wonderful experiences we had shared together during the last seven days? It seemed that way, until we stopped to grab a quick dinner.
While everyone was waiting agitatedly for their to-go meals, our site leaders announced we would be mixing up who was riding in each van. Prior to our departure, this was something we had been doing all week as it was a good way to get to know everyone equally. Given that there was so much tension between our divided group at the moment, though, I didn't think this was a great idea. Not wanting to cause more problems, however, four people from each van agreed to swap. This concession to ride with some of the people who just hours earlier had been disagreeing vehemently ended up making all the difference in the world.
The hostile feeling was removed by switching passengers around, and it became easier to work together and focus on the task at hand. Whether you agreed with the decision to drive on, the decision had been made. Our earlier squabbling was forgotten while we worked together to keep our drivers awake. With a common goal in sight, the last six hours of our trip easily became some of my favorite. We played games, we talked, and for the final two hours, we had a huge 1990s music sing-along session. It was about 4:45 a.m. when at last we pulled off onto that highly anticipated exit 118B. By the time everyone was dropped off and unpacked, I had been awake for 24 hours straight. But I have never minded sleep deprivation less.
If you asked me now, I would maintain my original argument that what we did was risky. But looking back I also would say that is not the point. We all put aside our differences; we all kept each other awake; we all made it back to Hooville in one piece. A trying situation became a grand adventure, and after all, what's a good adventure without a little risk?
Katie's column runs biweekly Mondays. She can be reached at k.mcnally@cavalierdaily.com.
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