By Julia Mitchell
(April 30, 2024) — I have worked on cars since I was in diapers. My dad has had a car hobby (maybe a problem!) for his entire life. He’s had over 90 cars, which explains why it was easy for me to start liking the same hobby. For as long as I can remember, cars have meant everything to my family. As I started high school, I had to decide on my elective classes—the fun half-semester courses to fill my schedule. The school put on an elective fair to help us decide which classes we wanted to take. I didn’t realize how many classes the school provided, it ranged from team games to drawing, culinary arts, astronomy, automotive, and much more. After hearing my background you must think I took automotive. I did not. My social anxiety held me back, especially being a Freshman. It frightened me to be in a garage that was not my own. Finally, in my sophomore year, my dad pushed me to take automotive. It was in this class that I gained my confidence with the trade, and furthered my respect for cars. Although I knew the basics about automotive, the class inspired me to start building my own car. For the last year and a half, my dad, our friend and I have been building my dream car.
Building my dream car has been an exciting experience. I’ve built my entire engine from scratch, but I’ve also learned so much about car camradarie. The car community is a group of people that are always willing to help each other out. My family and I have created an extensive network of close friends through cars. These friends are the most loyal people I’ve ever met. Being a car person means meeting new people you’d never talk to before. By facing my fear and taking the shop class in high school, it led me to the adventure of building my own car and creating a connection with these people. I love every minute of being a car girl.
