Learning something new can be a scary experience. One of the hardest things I have ever wanted to do was learn how to drive a manual car. I was afraid of the driving stick, but I decided that knowing how to drive a manual and automatic car was an important skill that I should learn. My dad and brother knew how and I wanted to learn too. I also thought it would be good practice for hand and eye coordination and it would help me to become mentally stronger. What I did not realize was that learning to drive a stick would also make me a more confident person.
New situations always make me a bit nervous, and my first driving lesson was no exception. After I changed into some suitable shoes at my house, I stood timidly by the side of the car waiting for my friend Mike to show up. After a couple of minutes Mike was there.
He smiled and said, "Everything will be okay, and you are going to do fine." I began to feel more at ease.
We got into the car and I started it. Mike told me to adjust the seat and mirrors so that it would be comfortable for me. Then he said, "Put on your seatbelt and let's go!".
Step by step, Mike told me simple instructions on what to do. It seemed pretty easy, and I was ready to go. While we were still parked, he told me to practice holding in the clutch and shifting gears so that I could get a feel for it. After learning all the steps it was now time for me to put what I learned to the test. The first time I took off I stalled out. I was so upset, it looked so easy but on my first try I failed. For about an hour I kept practicing and practicing and I still could not get it. Things were not quite that easy for me, but Mike was very patient. I started the car and tried a couple more times and I ended up with the same result. .
I held the brake pedal down and pulled up the emergency brake and said, "This is too hard, and I just can't do it." He looked at me and said, "You are doing just fine, just keep practicing and soon enough you will get it.