Grabbing the cold handle of the front door, I swing it open and go outside into the crisp autumn air. I feel the leaves beneath my feet and the cold air hitting my face as I walk over to the driveway to find a new car sitting there. It’s a little dirty, but I've never been more excited to lay my eyes on anything else. I immediately smell someone burning leaves, but it fades to the smell of gas once I get closer to the car. The sight of it fills me with a feeling of joy and freedom, and I cannot wait to get inside and start driving. 

Last year my dad asked me if I wanted a car, and of course I said yes. His co-worker was selling a black Toyota 4Runner. When he brought it home I was overwhelmed with joy. When I first opened the driver's side door, I was hit with the smell of old smoke and coffee. “That smell is gonna take a lot of work to get out”, I thought to myself. I felt the soft, tan fabric of the seats and the dark plastic of the radio beneath my fingertips. I played with the buttons on the dash and was so anxious to start driving. My dad handed me the key, which was bare with nothing to hang on. That’s when I decided I needed to make this car feel like my own. 

After lot’s of contemplation on how I could make my keys look like they actually belonged to me, I decided to put them on a long black m22 lanyard. On that lanyard I also put a keychain which I got from my cross country coach. The keychain is a shiny, silver circle with the middle cut out and a smaller circle hanging right over the opening. It says BHS xc 2020 on it, along with my name. The last thing I decided to put on my keys was a small, red, extremely worn out rectangle that has a screwdriver, dull scissors, and a file. I keep it on my lanyard because it was my moms when she was a teenager. Having this on my keys would be a reminder of my mom constantly telling me to be careful and attentive. 

Outside with my curly, light brown hair snapping behind me in the wind and my hazel eyes filled to the brim with joy, I stood there in disbelief , looking at the new car sitting in our driveway. My freckles were hidden beneath the red that appeared on my face from the harsh wind. I smiled and thanked my parents, who then handed me my keys. I was so excited even though I still had over a year until I could actually drive it. 

Getting my car keys was important to me because it symbolized that I was finally growing up, and it was one step closer to becoming independent and learning to do things on my own. It has impacted me by teaching me to pay closer attention to things and to learn more patience. Carrying my keys around has a big significance to me because it is a constant reminder that I am growing up, and I need to enjoy my years in high school while I still can.