Think about everything you need to do before you turn 18. You might be thinking senior photos, graduation, prom, or college. I’m willing to bet that you forgot about renewing your license. That was the case for me. 

I got swept up in a bajillion other things and it totally slipped my mind that in the State of Texas your license expires the day you turn 18. Also in the State of Texas, they make it nearly impossible to get an appointment at the Department of Public Safety when you need it. 

I realized maybe a week before it expired, which I can understand is my fault. However, I was told by nearly everyone that I could renew my license online. So I spent the hour trying to figure out which of the hundreds of Texas government websites and links is the right one. Then, I made an account. But, lo and behold it says I’m ineligible to renew online. Why? It wouldn’t say. 

So I accept my loss and try doing it over the phone; I’m still not eligible. So I have no other options but to schedule an appointment for the DPS. When I log on my jaw drops. The next available appointment is in August. Cut to me freaking out because my mother is a staunch rule-follower. She does not joke around with the law. 

I follow the advice of everyone around me and just start waking up at the crack of dawn to try and snag an appointment. For days I had no luck. I thought I would have to go out to East Texas, where it’s more rural. I made the appointment in Henderson which is 180 miles away. That’s three hours there and three hours back. But, that was the only day I could get an appointment in the month of April. 

I’ve lost almost all hope at this point. I need to renew my license as soon as possible, so the next option is to just go to the DMV early in the morning and hope they take walk-ins. This is what I did on Monday. I woke up at six in the morning and left the house at seven so I could be there when the doors opened. However, the first thing I see when I pull into the parking lot is a sign that reads “appointment only”. 

I Googled it and I found out that most DMV/DPS offices are by appointment only since COVID-19. But then tell me why it says that walk-in appointments are available on the website. I’m serious. It says on the website that all DPS accept a limited number of same-day appointments. That’s false advertising, a waste of time, and a LIE. 

I’m already fed up at this point, but what other choice do I have? I get to school and I’m sitting in AP Lit just refreshing the appointment page. I finally see an appointment for April 29, still 6 days after my birthday but better than nothing, in Garland. I went to make the appointment, but in the four seconds it took for my finger to move from the keyboard to the trackpad, someone else had already taken it. I was ready to throw in the towel. 

Desperation is a powerful force. I’ve given up mentally, but I know subconsciously that I can’t afford to give up yet. I kid you not, not even five minutes later, I’m back to refreshing the page and I finally see an appointment for the same day at 3:40 p.m.. I cancel my plans for everything else and make sure I get that appointment. I now have a valid license that I do not have to review until 2033. 

Take this as a cautionary tale, make the license renewal as soon as possible. You know what? If you’re reading this right now, do not just make the appointment. It doesn’t matter if you turn 18 in a year, just do it. 

This was a prime case of Christine Against the Clock.