Ah, road trips. Often synonymous with stuffy cars and cramped legs, road trips get a bad reputation at times. I mean, why bother driving when you can reach your destination in a fraction of the time by flying? Well, as someone who has experienced her fair share of road trips over the years, I've come to realize that there are some valuable lessons to be learned from them, which is why everyone should go on a road trip at least one time in his or her life.

You really get to know the people you're driving with.

Being in the car with the same few people −

even if they're your absolute favorite people −

for hours on end can definitely wear on you. But this also gives you a special opportunity to really get to know them. Even the people you think you know well tend to reveal certain quirks when you're stuck in a small space with them for an extended period of time. Maybe you discover that the person in charge of the radio has the exact same music taste as you, or that one of your friends gets particularly fidgety when there's no Wi-Fi. And speaking of Wi-Fi....

You have to deal with not having internet connection.

Sometimes it's healthy to take a break from technology. The beauty of road trips is that depending on where you're driving, there might not be internet connection all of the time. This means that you might not be able to send text messages, let alone Snapchat your friends or scroll through Instagram. So if you can't use your phone to interact with other people, what is there left to do? That's right, interact with the people in your car. You'd be amazed at the stimulating conversations that can take place when you take the time to look up from your phone.

You learn how to resolve conflicts in a timely manner.

I still remember fighting with my brother in the backseat of our car on family road trips. My parents, exasperated, would usually just tell us to "figure it out" whenever we started arguing. This meant that we would have to find a way to quickly make up because unfortunately, we wouldn't be getting away from each other anytime soon.

The same applies to going on road trips when you're older. You might find that over time you get a little sick of the people you're sharing a car with, which might lead to some unnecessary squabbling. But because no one wants to be in a bad mood for hours, you're going to have to learn to come to agreements in a timely manner so that you can all get back to the fun part of traveling.

You improve your health and well-being.

The science is in: traveling has been proven to boost creativity, decrease stress, and decrease the rate of depression in adults. It's easy to get swept up in our busy lifestyles, especially as college students−

cramming for midterms while juggling practices and club meetings can certainly induce stress. Taking time away from the chaos in your life to spend time with good company and explore the world is important because it is truly good for you. Not to mention that exposing yourself to new people and surroundings through traveling can help you become more educated and empathetic towards the people you meet along the way. As the saying goes: "Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer."

You engage your sense of adventure.

If you are embarking on a road trip, be prepared to have to adjust your plans along the way. And before all the Type-A's out there go into panic mode over this prospect, consider this: having the ability to change and create your own itinerary as you drive along can actually foster your underlying sense of adventure. This means you might come across a place you would have otherwise skipped over, because it wasn't part of your "official" itinerary.

Not adhering to a schedule also allows you visit the places that truly pique your interest, like that small beach you spotted while gazing out the passenger window. When my friends and I road-tripped around Big Sur last winter, we found that not having a set plan was a refreshing change of pace from our daily lives at school, where everyone routinely moves from one class to the next. Sometimes a little spontaneity is good for us.

With summer just around the corner, there's a great opportunity to give road-tripping a try. So on that note, make your road trip playlist, stock up on snacks, and get that show on the road!