How To: How to Drive 49 States During College (On a Shoestring Budget)

Roadtripping is something that really comes natural during college. Typical question of a recent college grad: "What did you do during your college career?" Typical response from a recent college grad: "Read a few books, slept through some classes, and took a few roadtrips." So this is not an article about how to do a roadtrip, many other people would be far more qualified than myself. No, this is an article about how to drive 49 states during a regular 4-year college lifetime. But can it be done? Won't it be expensive? Will there be enough time? Of course! Not necassarily! Sure, why not!

Now before I get started, I want you to know what you are getting into. There are going to be sacrifices. Sacrifices which may or may not include: personal hygiene, nutrition, sleep deprivation, and possibly the full use of your sense of smell. But think about everything you get in return: a smelly vehicle, poor sleep, fatigue, and some great stories. So buckle up, here goes nothing.

The big two questions are time and money.

Don't try this on your own. We had 4 drivers, which not only allowed us to sleep while still traveling, but also divided up the cost of gas and oil changes. And unless you plan on devoting a whole summer to driving around the states (which isn't a bad idea), then you need to break up the trip into manageable chunks. Only have four days? Perfect. With 4 drivers you can cover the Southeast in plenty of time. 5 days? Even better, New England is a great destination. Yes, I admit that this sounds a little rushed, but we just tended to look at it as roadtripping in fast forward.

Now I know some of you go-slow enthusiasts are saying, "That is a waste of time! How were you able to see anything? You didn't get to experience anything." Au contraire. If you just figure out what you want to see before hand, and are willing to sacrifice other parts for later journeys, then you can see plenty. I admit there is a time and a place for the go-slow traveller. In fact, I am one of those now, but college is not the time for that. College is like a buffet. Sample everything the first time around and then go back for your favorite later.

So here is the checklist in no particular order. You may disagree with some of these things, and that's fine, this is just what made us into gold-medal roadtrippers.

- Sleep in you vehicle. We were blessed enough to have a luxurious '93 Ford Aerostar which my parents gladly loaned us before each trip. This can save you a truckload of money by avoiding staying in hotels.

- Contact friends, family, acquaintances or make new friends who will help you out on your journey. These can be places where people let you shower (optional), eat or sleep. Who knew a friend of a friend of a friend would take us out to eat at In-and-Out in San Diego?

- Pack some of your food before you leave. Of course I know this will limit the number of hole-in-the-wall restaurants you can eat at, but let's face it, what college student has money to be throwing around on food? And don't forget, your body will recover from being mistreated.

- Have plenty of drivers. On each of our roadtrips we had at least 4 drivers. Even if you don't know someone real well, it could be a great chance to find out they're not so bad (or that you were right for not liking them). This also let's you speed through the places which aren't nearly as important. (Just kidding Nebraska...but seriously.)

- Don't take yourself too seriously. The other suggestions are just those, suggestions. But this one is more like a warning. If you don't chill out or think about the other people in the car, you may come home with a few less friendships than when you left.

The extent to which you adhere to these pieces of advice depends solely on how willing you are to 'rough it'. Some people might be comfortable with only showering once, others might not. To each his own. Whatever you do, just get out and experience it.