“Baka bad idea ’to,” Maris Racal says at the start of her newest vlog published on Feb. 5. Her boyfriend Rico Blanco (still not over this tandem btw) makes his debut on her vlog channel on the video, with him refreshing her driving skills.
Racal makes a point to note that she does know how to drive; she just hasn’t in a while. She even points out that she learned how to drive along EDSA, and has driven herself to the ABS-CBN office.
Still, the anxiety is real once she takes over the car and has to make turns, avoid other cars, and drive over an incline. You hear her squeal and manically gesture to her ever-patient boyfriend throughout the video. “Babe, baka hindi ako meant maging driver,” Racal says to Blanco. Same.
Unlike Racal, I don’t have any experience driving—unless you count all the times I’ve started my mom’s car myself so I can hang out in there to avoid other people, which I believe should count for something—but I may one day, so I took notes.
1. Know the different controls and dohickeys on your car.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but some of the more anxiety-inducing moments are the split seconds when you’re processing which item to push or prod or turn and why.
2. Don’t be afraid of the other cars.
I don’t mean that you should be reckless and don’t take account of them, but it looks like focusing too much on other cars being around can amp up your anxiety. In the video, it’s clear that doing this was impeding Racal’s ability to drive—she was almost driving on the middle of the road because she was scared to hit the expensive parked cars around her. As someone with generalized anxiety, I can relate.
3. Take it slow.
“Dahan-dahan lang,” Blanco says multiple times throughout the video to calm Racal down. Not everyone has a calm and patient boyfriend with a soothing voice to guide them through a stressful drive, but we can be our own calm and patient boyfriend and remind ourselves to take things slowly.
4. Focus on the important things.
That’s something that Blanco tells Racal when she starts hyperfixating on the face she makes while turning. Who cares if you’re making a silly face? As long as you’re focusing and making that turn, you’re all Gucci.
5. Take refreshers.
It’s good to do what Racal did and ask for help and refresh your skills. You may think you’re a driving god, but it doesn’t hurt to be a careful and responsible driver and try to learn to be better.
Photo screengrabbed from Maris Racal’s “rico blanco teaches me how to drive (again)” vlog
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