Anxious to get your license? It’s liberating and gives you a sense of maturity, but getting it before you’re ready can have repercussions. Here are some tips and behind-the-wheel blunders from a driver who just recently acquired her full license.

1. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. This has become more of a problem for me as I have become a more experienced driver and grown more confident in my skills. While telling a story, I use hand motions, or “gesticulate,” as my brother calls it. This creates a lot of stress and anxiety for my passenger, especially when I also look them in the eye while I’m speaking to them. “Liz, look where you’re going!” is something I hear quite often. Also, try not to cry or sneeze while driving, and if the urge comes over you to do either of these, pull over. 2. Make sure you use proper turn signals.

When I first started driving, I didn’t notice that I was using the wrong turn signal when I was turning. In fact, I didn’t realize until I was making a left even though my turn signal said I was going right, and the lady behind me went around me as I was turning left. The result was a lot of yelling and a lot of crying, but I learned my lesson. 3. Make sure you know where you are going before you set out

. After 10 o’clock press one night for The Pitch, I drove a few fellow staff members home. Forgetting that I had to go a certain way to get one of them home, I had gone my usual route to Kensington. When she mentioned to me that I still had to take her home, a total sense of confusion engulfed me and I began sobbing, uncertain of where I was and how to get to her house without going all the way back to WJ. The other girls in the car laughed at my poor sense of direction as I had no idea where Rockville Pike was. The evening ended with more laughing and my yells of, “Your driver is freaking out right now! We’re gonna DIE!” until I calmed down. 4. Don’t park in the staff parking lot. The most horrifying experience of my early months of driving was when I parked at WJ for the first time; I was late to first period and stuck in the staff parking lot. I tried turning around, but as I pulled into a spot, I bumped the car next to me. The car belonged to counselor Mrs. Murray, who was very kind and understanding about the situation, but her sympathetic response did not quell my sobbing for the rest of the day. I know I have shared some concerning stories about my early driving months, but I’m not a bad driver. I am more confident and am able to ignore honks and middle fingers. As underclassmen travel the road to getting licenses, don’t rush the process. It’s exciting to gain the freedom that comes with driving, but getting on the road without proper preparation can have poor results. And for those confident in your driving, be conscious of new drivers who need you to cut them some slack.