Hearts pound, tensions rise, and the palms of pale-faced students sweat as they recall the first time their hands gripped the steering wheel, when they ventured out into the unpredictable world of driving.

When students are driving for the first time with their license, they experience a nervous excitement and happiness at the prospect of being able to get from one place to another without depending on their parents anymore. However, before the students at St. Paul Academy and Summit School can start driving alone, they must go through the nerve wracking process of learning how to drive.

“Yes, you’re nervous ‘cause you don’t want to hit anybody,” freshman Colin O’Hern said when asked about driving for the first time. He started taking Drivers Education classes over the summer and is currently taking his behind-the-wheel. O’Hern is hoping to ease into his driving skills as he transitions from sitting behind a desk to sitting behind the wheel.

“You don’t want me in a car driving on a freeway,” O’Hern said, laughing.

As beginners start driving on busier roads as opposed to the safer and less-traveled-by roads they’re most accustomed to, students tend to get nervous. “I think I’ll first start driving on country roads,” freshman Sara Bohjanen said. “If my brother can do it [learn how to drive], I can do it,” Bohjanen said. Bohjanen’s brother, Robert, is a senior at SPA and has a license.

Sara Bohjanen still hasn’t started driving yet, but is currently taking Drivers Ed. Once a person applies for a permit, they must go to Drivers Ed classes for a total of 30 hours, where the instructors teach the students about the rules of the road.

Bohjanen also described her class being shown videos about the ramifications of driving. “In a video this guy took out his crossbow and fired at someone who was tailgating him,” she said. Bohjanen is still nervous about driving for the first time but is focusing on passing the knowledge test, which must be taken before enrolling in behind the wheel lessons.

A handful of this year’s freshmen are starting to take Drivers Ed or have already taken it. Freshman and sophomore year are typically when students start driving. “I’ve had my license for about a year,” senior Sarah Coleman said. “I started taking classes as a freshman. Most people, a good third [of our class], started taking classes freshman year. There were a couple stragglers that took it sophomore year. The real stragglers got it as juniors,” Coleman said.

Freshmen and sophomores are the least experienced out of the drivers in the Upper School since most are in the process of getting their license or have just obtained it. After the initial stage of excitement that comes along with getting a license, some juniors stated that they don’t really feel the need to drive: “I don’t have any time to drive places,” junior Amber Skarjune said. “I mean, where am I going to drive to?”

Many of the seniors, appear to be driving the most out of the four grades in the Upper School. “[The first time I drove with my license] I was coming back from DMV [Department of Motor Vehicles] after I got my permit,” senior Emun Solomon said. At first while Solomon was driving everything was going fine; “But, when I merged I didn’t look back,” Solomon said. “My mom grabbed the wheel and jerked it.”

Students have a decent amount of faith in their friends to drive them safely. Bohjanen stated she would trust most of her friends to drive her once they had gotten their licenses. Others are much more picky about who sits in the front seat.

“There are certain friends I wouldn’t want driving me,” senior Sam Carlson said, laughing. “But, it’s funny seeing friends freak out behind the wheel,” Carlson said.

After going through the stress of Drivers Ed and behind-the-wheel lessons, there are definitely some perks that come along with finally being able to drive. “I was pumped [the first time I drove] ‘cause I could go wherever I wanted as long as I could use my mom’s car,” Coleman said. “It’s also really nice having friends that can drive.” Coleman also mentioned that there is more freedom that comes along with driving.

“Your parents don’t have to drive you places. You can hang out with friends more on your own schedule,” freshman Samantha Bluhm, who doesn’t drive yet, said. “I’m not looking forward to driving my brother around. My mom says I’m gonna have to go grocery shopping and drive my brother everywhere when I get my license,” Bluhm said.

As students make their way through SPA, they will achieve many accomplishments, but one of the most anticipated milestones that a high schooler will reach is finally getting their license. All of the stressful situations and moments of hesitation they experience before obtaining their licenses are worth it as students complete the transition over the years from the back seat as a child, to shotgun, to finally sitting behind the wheel.