What is an R.V.?

Thinking of taking a trip somewhere, but concerned about virus issues? Consider taking an R.V. R.V. stands for recreational vehicle, and is a kind of mobile home. Some types are drivable, while others can be attached to and towed behind cars or trucks. Many include built in kitchens, bathrooms, tons of storage space, TVs, and tucked away or collapsable beds. They are a great living space for small families who are traveling to multiple places, and need the convenience of their temporary home along with them. Students at iUPrep may go to tournaments, competitions, and events, and need to travel to distant places in a safe manner. Here are some pros and cons of this adventurous opportunity.

Pros~

• Having a restroom while you are on the road. No more dozens of bathroom breaks or groans from Dad! 🙂
• If you are taking a drivable R.V., you can have your “home” everywhere you go. This was a big pro for me, especially in my tennis tournament. I was able to shower right after coming off the court.
• Places you can set your notebooks, folders, or computers on to do school or work while driving. This was super helpful for me, as I left on a school day so I needed to finish up some lessons on the long drive. They also had seat belts for the tables which is very useful.
• Many places for storage. There were so many cabinets and spaces for our belongings in spots that we never would have thought of! On my trip it was just my mom, dad, and me (and my puppy) so we had a lot of extra room.
• Several R.V.s are pet friendly. You can take your best friend along for the drive, just make sure to take them on long walks or give them a big space to run so they can get some exercise outside of the small space.
• TVs! Some R.V.s include this unnecessary, yet entertaining feature along with free WiFi at the R.V. parks. The R.V. I stayed in had its own WiFi as well which was very convenient when I was working on my lessons.
• Many locations for sleeping. The R.V. I stayed in had 9 options for resting which is great for large families.
• Pop out slides. With the push of a button, you can expand your mobile home to be twice as large when parked. This leads to more room and space in your R.V. which is definitely needed.
• Built in kitchens. The camper I took included kitchen features consisting of a microwave, oven, stove, sink, refrigerator and freezer. 
• A generator used when not hooked up at the R.V. park. This helped with using electricity away from the campground.

Cons~

• It is a very small space to stay in for a long time. If you have a large family, it can get quite crowded and busy. Be sure to spend lots of time outside of the R.V. so you don’t get too claustrophobic.
• Having to dump out black and grey water. Black water is waste from the toilet, and grey water is waste from sinks and the shower. This is not very difficult, but it is very gross. You connect a large hose to the side of the R.V. where the waste comes out, and hook the other end up to a dumping spot in the ground. Always be sure to empty the black water first so the grey water can wash away the toilet remains. It looks quite disgusting, but don’t worry, none of the waste gets on you at all. Ew!
• The bathroom is very tiny. Including the shower. It is annoying how small the restroom is, but it is convenient that it’s right in your home.
• When driving this vehicle, it is hard to see around and behind you since the R.V. is so big. My dad had a little trouble when driving, but overall he said it was a smooth ride. Be sure to have an experienced driver when taking this mobile home.
• The toilet stinks! Make sure you are dumping often, so as not to have clogs in the tanks that cause horrible odors in the vehicle. 

Overall, I had a great experience with this means of transport. If you are looking for a safe, yet enjoyable ride, be sure to check out and research R.V.s. Many students at iUP are athletes or competitors, and need transport and an easy place to stay for events. R.V.s are a great way to get to locations for lots of reasons, including travel for students. There are many advantages to using this vehicle for these reasons, and some cons as well, but don’t let them ruin your trip!