Technology isn’t easy to define. In fact, its easier to list what qualifies as technology instead; I consider tools, computers, cars, tables, and pencils all technology. But if I had to make up my own definition (and because I do) Id define technology as: something created by people in order to make daily life easier.

Being a technology native, I, like everyone else in my generation have had my fair share of funny experiences with technology. By far the funniest, emotionally taxing, humbling, life changing moment I have had in my LIFE had to be the last time I drove back to Seattle.

Freshman year of college my parents wouldn’t allow me to drive it to school because “it was too much responsibility and I would get into trouble.” Looking back, my parents were right. I wasn’t responsible enough at that time to take a car 300 miles away from home and take of the car all by myself but sophomore year that all changed.

This school year is the first year my parents allowed me to bring my ‘05 Ford Explorer back to school. I’ve drove from Pullman to Seattle quite a few times now and I I’m confident in my driving skills. With each trip I take the more people I take. Thanksgiving break was the peak where I actually filled my car for once. All five seats and the trunk were filled to the brim with friends and their bags and of course it’s the only time I have a little car trouble…

Prior to the car trip, like every trip, my dad talks to me and preps me for my mission because people die on this trip. During this prep talk he told me to be careful because there might be snow in the pass and I might have to put on the 4x4 mode (keep this in mind).

The first 200 miles flew by, not because I was speeding but because of the good conversation. I stopped at a gas station and then it hit me “didn’t dad say put the car in 4x4?” and so I did. What a terrible mistake…

Few moments pass in the car and it begins to get darker and darker. Then BOOM! My car beeps from overheating and nothing but black smoke coming out of my tail pipe. I pullover, pop the hood, don’t understand a damn thing I see so I call my dad. After being chewed out for a goof 45, it appeared that it was just loose hose.

As instructed I took it to the nearest gas station to get it looked at. Nothing could really be done at the gas station so I took it down the road to O’Reillys…

Turns out it was much worse than a leaky hose, I cracked a gasket. The pressure from the 4x4 mode actually cracked it (it could have been worse right?). All of the water we were putting into the car was spilling out and hitting the hot engine. SO, we were presented with two different options: wait for the engine to cool and put this adhesive over the crack, continue to pull over multiple times, put water in the engine, let it dry for some time (play it by ear) or get a hotel room in Cheney. I made the executive decision to get the thick adhesive.

Long story short… we pulled over more than 20 times over the last 100 miles of the trip. It took 15 hours to get back to Seattle… 15 hours… I drove the whole time and kept everyone calm by talking. I literally told stories for hours. I have never felt so grown in my life, surprisingly I’m still great friends with everyone that was in the car.