You’re sixteen now, and the first thing you have in mind to do if get that permit you have been just waiting to get. Well there is plenty of things you should do before hand.

First, study study study. Be sure to study that handbook, and not just do the online test because you will never pass if you don’t. Not everything in the practice test are true! Some or most are not gonna be on the actual test at all. I (Breanna) took the practice test most of the time, and failed the first time, learned my lesson right away. Reading the handbook helps more than you’d think. Yes, it can be very boring at times, but you should read it.

After you have done that and re-read it many times have someone take the handbook and come up with questions to quiz you. I (Shelby) did that and passed the first time. It helps you realize what some of the questions will be. Now, on the day of your test it’s okay to be nervous. I was so nervous I was shaking. Just calm down and believe you can do it. When you arrive at the courthouse you walk in and go through security. You have to take off anything metal and lay your purse or bag down. It’s like airport security at a courthouse. It’s not as strict though. After that you go down to the driver’s license area and wait in a line. The line can be fast or it can be slow, but be patient. When it’s your turn in line there will be a lady and if they are rude just remember that they work in a courthouse. They aren’t always happy. I had a nice lady so it all worked out. She will have you fill out some paperwork as well as your parent/guardian. Then she hands you a half sheet of cardstock paper and sends you into the room next door to take your test. There is sometimes a wait, after that you walk in and the lady will sit you down. Give her the paper and she will ask you if you wear contact or glasses. Then you have a quick eye exam. It checks your distance, peripheral, and up close vision. Then she will ask you to go to one of the machines behind you. You go up to the machine and it will ask you to click your date of birth. When you find it, you click begin. You have 60 minutes to complete the test. There are 40 questions, you can only miss up to 8 and after 8 it’s failing.

You start and when you miss a question is shows at the bottom how many you missed and how many you get right. When taking the test I recommend to stay calm and read every question and answer thoroughly. It helps when you don’t rush through it. As you are going through don’t get too excited that you are close to finishing. Just continue to stay calm. When you finish the lady will tell you if you passed or failed, but you would already know that. I had a really big smile on my face when I passed. she told me, “Congrats, you passed.” and handed me a sheet of paper. I smiled and walked out to see my father. I gave him the cheesiest smile. Then, you have to go back into the line you were in the first time. You wait and then a lady will ask you for the half sheet of paper again. Hand it to her and she will give you a paper to check stuff off and then sign it. That signature will go on your permit. Once she is finished you will stand in front of a blue wall and then looked at the blue dot. Smile if you want to. A few minutes after that she will hand you your permit along with a packet of paper will information about your driving test. It has the hours log and the date that you can take your test.

Congratulations you just received your permit!!! The cost is $12.00.

Here are some words from people that have received their permit.

Shopmore Alyssa Skinner said, “I missed 8 exactly and it was nerve racking ,but for the majority the ladies was nice to me.”

Junior Mally Carr said, “ It was weird just standing up. Wasn’t much personal space. The ladies were necessarily nice, but not mean. I missed less than expected.”

Mrs. Loftis and Mrs. Blankenship’s permit test were written. They waited 6 months afterwards like we do today.
Mr. and Mrs. Tipton on the other hand had a lot to tell us. They gave us a lot of stories to tell. Mr. Tipton started off by telling us about his 1954 Corvair. He then began saying how you got your license the same day as your permit. Soon, we were on the topic of his ear and his age. He got his permit in 1972. Mrs. Tipton told us about how she went to a park one day and her friend was flipping people off behind her. She was pulled over and her friend was taken straight to jail. It was very interesting.