Driving only 25 miles per hour, freshman Milo Banks finds herself screaming over the wind with her
friend as an improvisation to having no radio. Singing their hearts out to “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.
“It’s really fun, honestly. And I know it can’t go that fast, but it’s just fun to ride it down hills,” Banks said. “I don’t have a radio or anything, so usually me and my friends just sit there, singing really badly, which is fun.”
With any vehicle, there is a sense of independence granted with owning it.
“I like being able to go out and do things that I want without having to drag other people with me,” said Banks, “I feel sometimes, maybe I’m being a little bit annoying when I have to ask people to take me places, so it’s nice.”
Though Banks’ ride has its restrictions, she has quickly recognized its value in her daily life.
Similarly, Senior, Wilson Curtis slides into the senior lot in his 1990 mariner blue Miata which he named Mia. Given as a gift from his family friend, Curtis has had the car since before he could drive and has learned to appreciate it despite its age.
“[When I got it,] I was just really excited to mod it out,” said Curtis. “And then once I could start driving [it], I was like, ‘it’s low-key already cool.’ I don’t got to put a lot of money into it.”
Though it is an old car, Curtis loves the thrill he gets when driving it out in West Little Rock, or on the interstate. He feels it is the best way to “stretch it out,” which is “speeding up in traffic-like a race almost.”
Curtis’ favorite features of the car vary from the pop-up lights to the wheel rims. He feels that the original features of the car make it unmatched.
“I just like how loud it is,” Curtis said. “It’s a neck breaker, everybody looking at the car.”
While it’s not a change to it, he has learned a way he can make the lights ‘wink’ by “[tapping] the button real fast to pop the headlines up,” which is one of his favorite aspects of Mia.
Reactions to the car have varied. Some people have offered to pay up to ten-thousand dollars, while others have challenged him to a race.
Reactions are expected with old cars, but junior, Adi Randles, has gotten some especially unique reactions to their 1973 Volkswagen Beetle.
“I was going down the interstate one night after work and a random guy rolled down his window on the interstate, going like 65 miles an hour, and they screamed out the window. He literally stuck out his whole upper body,” said Randles. “My favorite part about driving the car is just the fact that people, like a lot of motorcyclists, like they’ll give me a thumbs up.”
The new addition to Randles’ life has been passed down through their family, which makes driving it even more special.
“I think it’s pretty awesome because it’s kind of like a generational thing. My mom drove it and my grandpa did,” said Randles, “So I think it’s kind of cool that I’m not the first one.”
It is a constant reminder of their family and has a nostalgic effect because of the many memories it has brought.
“When we first got it, we went with my aunt. She moved here from California recently, and she was a really big part of my life when I was little,” said Randles,
“It was just kinda awesome having that experience with her and my mom.”
Not only does the car hold memories, but Randles feels it has some parallels to who they are. Recently Randles cut their hair to match a style of a different decade. By doing this, they have become more confident and expressive, but the feeling of being in the wrong generation is not only shown through their hair, but also their car. The relationship between their hair and their car have an intertwined affect on who they are as a person.
“I was cutting [my hair] literally last night,” said Randles, “and I was like, you drive a car from the 70s, I think that’s kind of what you’re going for.”
