What advice would you give your 23 year old

[tvguy]

1) A complete checkup of the car as others have mentioned.
2) Cash, because ATMs and places that take Debit cards can be rare in some remote areas. Cash and carry is still the rule there.
3) A couple of dollars in quarters for pay phones because cell service can be non-existent in some remote areas.
4) A good map, as others have mentioned, because roads in remote areas may not be in a GPS database, or may not be labeled by street name.
5) Cash or credit card because AAA doesn't cover the entire country and you will have to pay for roadside service and get reimbursed later in some areas.

As a parent of a 23 and 19 year old, all I ask is they tell me where they are going and when, and check in when they get there. My 19 year old's college was 200 miles away, so she is used to driving long distances. Of course, less of an issue now that she has transfered to a college 1 mile away.

 

[Kath2003]

At 25, my advice is always pack toilet paper and plastic bags - these will solve any problem.

Seriously she's 23...most 23 year olds live alone and are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves away from home for a few days

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

Not necessarily my parents but I always make sure someone knows where I am going and how long I am planning on being away. I then get in touch with them when I get to my destination, when I leave my destination and when I get back home.

This way if something does go wrong someone will have a general knowledge about where I was when it happened.

 

[Imzadi]

Not necessarily my parents but I always make sure someone knows where I am going and how long I am planning on being away. I then get in touch with them when I get to my destination, when I leave my destination and when I get back home.

This way if something does go wrong someone will have a general knowledge about where I was when it happened.

According to Criminal Minds, (great show, we even have a great DIS thread about it. ) The first 24 hours are crucial for locating a missing adult person. The smaller the search area where the police can start looking, the better the chances.

For a child, the first hour is the most crucial for finding the child alive. For every hour that passes, the statistics go up for finding the child dead. That is why the Amber Alert system is so important. After 24 hours, the chances of finding the child alive are extremely rare.

 

[Happy Mom2]

Have a good time. Call me if you need anything.

 

[padams]

At 23, you are lucky if she is even telling you that she is going on a trip. She's an adult.

When I was in college, my friends and I took several weekend beach trips each year. If I spoke with my parents prior to or right after the trip, I probably told them about it. However, there were probably some trips they never knew about.... I know I didn't ask for permission.

 

[SaraJayne]

I was a married mother at 23, so when I was going on a long trip by myself with the baby, my Mom told me, "have fun, be careful, don't forget your seatbelts and kiss the baby for me."

Probably not quite the advice the OP is looking for.

 

[C.Ann]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

Everyone calls everyone - adults to parents - parents to adult children - etc.. I have never known a family that doesn't do this..

 

[MichelleVW]

Everyone calls everyone - adults to parents - parents to adult children - etc.. I have never known a family that doesn't do this..

How many people do you know? Because honestly it's not that common for grown people to call their parents when they get somewhere. I haven't lived in the state as my mother for over 20 years, why would I call her if I want to go out of town for the weekend.

 

[ICF]

She's 23 years old.....by that point, I was married to a 22 year old.....I thnk she'll be fine.

 

[Jennasis]

How many people do you know? Because honestly it's not that common for grown people to call their parents when they get somewhere. I haven't lived in the state as my mother for over 20 years, why would I call her if I want to go out of town for the weekend.

I call. So do my grown sisters (2 of them), cousins (6), and my parents and aunts/uncles call their grown children.

It may not be common for you, but it's common for some.

 

[C.Ann]

How many people do you know? Because honestly it's not that common for grown people to call their parents when they get somewhere. I haven't lived in the state as my mother for over 20 years, why would I call her if I want to go out of town for the weekend.

That's an entirely different situation.. I'm speaking of people who live locally..

Let's say my neighbors adult DD (up here at the lake) comes up for the weekend on a Friday evening.. She will call her dad to let him know that she and the kids arrived safely..

DD's IL's will head over to RI to visit MIL's nephew.. When they arrive, they will call DD's house to let them know they arrived safely..

When I was still traveling, if I flew to Florida, it was expected that I would call when I reached my destination so that my adult children knew I was safe..

My DD and my DGD left the lake today - rather than yesterday - and when they arrived home, they called to let me know they were there..

Neighbors from LI arrived up here last Thursday and one of the first things they did was call back to one of the sister's houses to let them know they were here..

Former neighbors from Florida flew home yesterday - and when they got down there, they called their son (here in NY) to let them know they arrived okay - and when they were planning on flying back up again..

It's been like this all my life - with every family I know.. It would never occur to me that other people don't do it - or find it odd..

 

[MichelleVW]

I call. So do my grown sisters (2 of them), cousins (6), and my parents and aunts/uncles call their grown children.

It may not be common for you, but it's common for some.

It is common for some, but for the majority of the people I know..(and after being military for 20 years I know a lot) I've found that most people don't call.

 

[Jennasis]

It is common for some, but for the majority of the people I know..(and after being military for 20 years I know a lot) I've found that most people don't call.

The thing is that neither MY experience or YOUR experience proves anything. I don't know "everyone" and neither do you. Our evidence is anecdotal. What's normal for me isn't necessarily normal for you and vice-versa but it makes neither of us wrong with our personal experience...KWIM?

Your "knowing a lot of military folks" doesn't make your experience more valid. I actually only offered my experience because you claimed "It's not that common for grown folks to call their parents..." It IS for many people...like me

There isn't anything wrong with calling parents or NOT calling anyone at all. It just is what it is. And for those that do it one way, I can certainly see why they might think the other way is odd.

 

[Sorsha]

How many people do you know? Because honestly it's not that common for grown people to call their parents when they get somewhere. I haven't lived in the state as my mother for over 20 years, why would I call her if I want to go out of town for the weekend.

I always let my mom know where I am going, and she lives clear across the country. Now, mind you, I am not "asking permission" or "asking for advice", we just talk all the time - 2 or 3 times a week, usually, and we chat about what we are going to do. I know that last weekend, she went to upstate New York, and she knows that we spent the weekend in Glacier Park. We always know what eachother's plans are, just because we chat as friends.

Now, when I take a road trip, as others have said, I let someone know when I am leaving, approximately what route I am taking, and when I expect to arrive. When I get there, if it isn't in the middle of the night, I call and let them know I have arrived. Heck, in today's world, in the day of cell phones, I usually call my friends along the way too - "You would not believe the trucker I just saw in this truck stop in XYZ City!!" or "You should have seen the green Booger van I just saw drive by me down the interstate! There was this lady driving and I swear I could hear her kids arguing about how one of them could be a stripper and I think her sons were half-nekkid!!"

It's not that I feel I need permission or I need someone to be checking up on me, I just think it's logical that someone know where I am going and whether or not I actually got there!! And no, it doesn't have to be my parents... but sometimes it is.

 

[minkydog]

I always let *someone* know where we're going and when we'll be back. We live 400 miles from the nearest family. If something happened to us, they wouldn't know if we didn't tell them where we were. In fact, we had a really bad wreck in April and I was glad we had cell phones. We were able to let folks know we were okay, although we were going to be delayed another day. If we hadn't called they would have been worried about us (not that they weren't worried when we *did* call!) And it really doesn't take much. just a quick text, if we don't have time to call. "We're baaa-aack" is about it.

 

[golfgal]

I know most people will call if they were staying at someone's house and traveled home to let them know they arrived home but to call someone with no connection to your travels just to let them know you got somewhere seems strange to me. We are probably going out of town next weekend. There won't be anyone we will call to let them know we were leaving or when we arrived. I don't understand why you would especially since they don't know we are gone in the first place.

 

[MichelleVW]

The thing is that neither MY experience or YOUR experience proves anything. I don't know "everyone" and neither do you. Our evidence is anecdotal. What's normal for me isn't necessarily normal for you and vice-versa but it makes neither of us wrong with our personal experience...KWIM?

Your "knowing a lot of military folks" doesn't make your experience more valid. I actually only offered my experience because you claimed "It's not that common for grown folks to call their parents..." It IS for many people...like me

There isn't anything wrong with calling parents or NOT calling anyone at all. It just is what it is. And for those that do it one way, I can certainly see why they might think the other way is odd.

Calm down...Lol...Honestly I do usually call my mom, but I also know MANY MANY MANY people that don't. I only made the comment because C.Ann said she never knew ANYONE that didn't call.

Everyone calls everyone - adults to parents - parents to adult children - etc.. I have never known a family that doesn't do this..

 

[kacaju]

We are probably going out of town next weekend. There won't be anyone we will call to let them know we were leaving or when we arrived. I don't understand why you would especially since they don't know we are gone in the first place.

I guess it also depends on how often you talk to people. I happen to live in the same town as my brother and SIL , we have kids in the same schools. I talk to my SIL all the time, I see her all the time. She knows of all our plans when we go away. Just as I know hers.
I do not call people out of the blue, and I certainly would not call someone who had no idea I was out of town.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I don't understand why you would especially since they don't know we are gone in the first place.

Because for safety reasons I want someone who knows where I am. The likelihood of something happening may be slim but if something does happen I want the authorities notified as soon as possible. If no one knows I was leaving or where I'm going then they can't know that something went wrong when I don't show up when I was suppose to.

I'm not asking for permission but it is nice to know someone will be looking out for me if the worse were to happen.