The bags are packed, farewells are taken care of and you’ve aced all your exams. Now all that’s left to do is to shoehorn yourself into the driver’s seat and begin your epic journey home.

That’s right, that time of year is coming up again. I’m not here to lecture you about your calculus exam that you’re “totally going to fail,” though. No, I’m here to try and make sure you get home after those exams — and do it in style.

I’m a veteran road tripper myself, so I’ll impart my knowledge onto you. I don’t want you being stranded in the middle of Pennsylvania any more than you do.

First and foremost, make sure your car is in good health. If it’s getting close to being time to change your oil, do it. Even if it’s not time yet, check your oil level to make sure you’re not low, and top it off as need be.

The next thing you need to look at are your tires. It’s always a good idea to know how much tread you have left on them, because if they’re worn then you know to slow down a little in heavy rain to avoid hydroplaning.

Another thing that is just as important is tire pressure. Use a gauge and go around all four corners to ensure that all your tires are up to the recommended specification found on your door jamb. This step in preparation is easy to forget and could possibly be the most fatal of all. If one or more of your tires are unreasonably low, your chances of getting a flat increase dramatically.

Don’t just check the tires currently mounted on the car; make sure your spare is in good shape as well. Spare tires are one of the easiest things to overlook since they’ll be hidden underneath all of your luggage, but that little donut could end up saving you big time. Even if you just bought four brand new tires, a flat can happen at any time, so it’s best to be prepared.

In addition to those couple things, you’re going to want to bring a small toolkit filled with some random essentials. Throw in some wrenches, a flathead and Phillips screwdriver, a small hammer and a flashlight in case your emergency happens in the dark. It’s truly amazing how many minor emergencies could be remedied by a couple twists here or a few taps there. It’s the absolute worst feeling when you see the problem but are unable to do anything about it due to the lack of tools.

Be sure to bring any fluids you could need for your car, such as oil, coolant and brake fluid. You’ve hopefully checked all of these before leaving your driveway, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

We’ve got to have some happiness on this trip back home now — after all, it is summertime and you’re not Lana Del Rey. Instead of just plugging in an address to your navigation system, find something fun and interesting to hit up on the way home. Don’t be afraid to drive an hour out of your way for a little adventure. It could be anything from a fabulous restaurant to a scenic drive. The best time I ever had on a road trip was when I put the navigation away, and just drove where the road took me.

If your car will be full of people, make sure you divvy up duties in advance. Somebody has to be responsible for drinks and snacks. Every road trip also needs a playlist that will keep you entertained when the hours drag on. In the event that you’ll be caravanning with others, two-way radios make for a great deal of fun. They give you the ability to provide instant criticism to your friend’s dumb driving and shield you from getting drowsy at the same time.

It’s best to take care of these things a week or two before you leave, because cars tend to cause problems that compound onto one another whenever possible. We tend to be a little busy during finals week, so do these things before they get pushed aside for all day cram sessions. Trust me, you’ll be thankful you are prepared when you drive past the guy pulled onto the shoulder of the road.

Zac Palmer is a sophomore magazine journalism major. His column appears weekly in Pulp. He can be reached at zipalmer@syr.edu.

Published on April 24, 2016 at 9:44 pm