So you’re the only person left in your crew without a licence. Sucks, huh?

When you’re hanging with your mates and everyone’s getting up to leave for the night, there’s nothing more uncomfortable than summoning up the courage to ask, “Can I grab a lift?” It’s a special kind of awkwardness.

There’s many struggles (and benefits) to being the last person in your group to have their licence. Here are just some.

#1 You’re Pretty Sure Your Friends Think You’re Extremely Annoying

Being the only one without a licence is like being a social pariah. While it’s fun and games for a while – you’re used to the brutal jokes by now – you do start to wonder if your friends really are joking, or they just secretly hate you.

To their credit, they say everything they’re thinking to your face, but it’s always a little too real. You’re wondering if, or when, they’ll finally crack.

#2 Your Mates Are Always Trying To Convince You To Go For Your Ps

We’re not entirely sure why – they already know what the answer will be – but your mates just keep asking about your test.

Sometimes, it’s a helpful “I can help you with three point turns” or “Why don’t we take some lessons?” and other times, it’s a way more brutal “Why the hell won’t you just take book the damn test?!”

You might be taking a while getting your Ls hours up, or have made the decision that the driving life ain’t yo’ thang. Either way, the constant suggestions from your mates aren’t really doing much. In fact, you’d probably prefer they go back to ribbing you. It’s a lot easier to handle.

#3 You Have A Love/Hate Relationship With Public Transport

But most of the time it’s hate. The buses are either five minutes early or two hours late, the trains are always experiencing delays and the ferries… well, if you’re rich enough to live in a suburb where you take a ferry to uni, we have no sympathy for you.

Sometimes, public transport can really be on your side and for a few blissful hours, you forget your burning hatred for it. You hop on, settle into your seat (if you manage to get one), pop in your earphones and take a peaceful trip. You know, sometimes.

#4 You Probably Take Too Many Ubers

Having the app on your phone is way too dangerous. Running late? Hop in an uber. Going to a mate’s place that would normally take an hour on public transport? Uber.

In fact, you’re practically a genius at finding ways to convince yourself it’s OK to spend money on rides. It’s a time saver, right?

#5 Your Mum Stopped Giving You Lifts Years Ago

A common misconception about people without a licenxe is that they just get their parents to drive them around everywhere. Pffft, they wish. If you don’t have your license, your parents probably stopped giving you lifts as soon as you left high school.

Now, if you ask them for a lift, they do all of the groaning and ribbing that your friends do but it’s way less fun. In fact, it usually results in a lecture about how you should start acting like an adult and you’re this age now and you need to start taking responsibility for blah blah blah.

Asking your parents for lifts is just way too much of a hassle. If you wanted a reminder about how much you’re failing at life, you’d check your grades more often.

#6 You Feel Pretty Smug About How Much Money You Save

When you hear your mates complain about their rego, or insurance, or the rising cost of petrol, or how darn much parking permits are, you sit there feeling pretty darn good about yourself. Sure, you annoy a whole bunch of people by constantly asking for lifts, but you’ve definitely got your finances under control.

So, there.

(Lead image: Superbad/Apatow Productions)