WHEN finally turning 17, you usually have one thing on your mind – driving.

Legally, you can travel wherever you want, see your friends and you have the option to be naughty and drive into town instead of walk, because, let’s face it, sometimes laziness takes the wheel.

However, the beauty of independence soon blinds you to the reality of the situation and the thought of having to go through the long process of driving lessons and tests.

I'll admit it - I’m not a very good driver.

In fact I am the complete opposite - but we will bypass that slight problem in order to grumble about the frustration of the whole driving process.

Starting off optimistic and excited, I began lessons, looking forward to being able to go where I wanted without having to go through the gruelling process of reading the wrong bus times, or, in many cases, missing the bus altogether. Nevertheless, after a few more lessons I began to realise I did not obtain the natural knack of being behind wheel.

Confidence started to drop and so did my bank balance.

After failing my theory test, I had my first slap-in-the-face feeling of failure, which made the dream of independence seem to slip further and further away.

Despite this (and through a lot of nagging from my mother), I carried on with the lessons and finally passed my theory.

Now, the date draws closer to my practical, so please wish me luck as I most clearly need it.

But don’t get me wrong. I have a laugh in my lessons and my driving teacher is funny as well as patient with my many mistakes and curb bumping.

It is just something we teenagers will have to go through.

So if you feel like giving up (which has occurred to me many of times), don’t!

Keep slogging through it, and if you fail a test - tough!

Revise and practice harder and try again. You are not the only one who struggles with the concept. Well, that’s what I tell myself anyway.