Hey there, fellow adventurers! Welcome back to another exciting post on Learn with Pari. This time, I’ve decided to take on a challenge that seemed fun in theory but turned out to be something more akin to a test of survival skills—Living in a Car for 24 Hours.

If you’ve ever thought that living in a car would be all cozy road trips and spontaneous adventures, buckle up, because I’m about to take you on a rollercoaster of realizations, awkward moments, and questionable life choices. So, let’s dive right in!

The Setup: I’m Ready… Or Am I?

I had watched enough YouTube videos of people doing the “24-Hour in a Car” challenge to think, “Hey, how hard can it be? It’s just a car. I sleep in a bed, what’s the difference?” Spoiler alert: the difference is everything.

I packed my bag with a bunch of snacks (mostly chocolate, because priorities), a blanket (because comfort), and a pillow (because I’m not a monster). I also packed my phone and charger, figuring I’d use the time to be productive… which, let’s be honest, was never going to happen.

Hour 1: The Excitement Begins

The first hour was actually pretty great! I set up my car like a mobile living space—a tiny mobile living space, but a living space nonetheless. I reclined the seat, had a snack, and put on some music. I was feeling like an independent road warrior, untethered and free. I even sent a Snapchat to my friends saying, “Living the dream!”

I should have known right then that this would all go downhill from there.

Hour 3: Things Are Getting… Uncomfortable

Okay, let’s talk about the “comfort” aspect. I was under the illusion that if I just leaned the seat back, I could somehow sleep in the car. WRONG. My back was already hurting, and I hadn’t even been in the car long enough for a full-fledged back complaint to form. I started shifting around like a confused pancake, trying to find that perfect position. Spoiler: there is no perfect position.

My feet were squished against the dashboard, my head kept bumping into the window, and I realized that the idea of “living in a car” doesn’t exactly scream luxury.

Hour 5: Hunger Strikes

Okay, I had packed snacks, but after a while, you start questioning your snack choices. I ate an entire bag of chips in 30 minutes because apparently, that’s what people do when they have zero space and endless time to think about food.

Then, I started wondering—what happens if I need to pee? I’m not saying I’m a delicate flower, but the idea of being stuck in a car with no bathroom in sight was starting to become my personal horror story. I mean, there’s only so much water you can drink before your bladder starts plotting its own escape plan.

Hour 7: Cabin Fever Sets In

This is the moment where your car, which was once a symbol of freedom and adventure, becomes a prison. I found myself pacing around my car (yes, pacing—don’t judge me), even though there wasn’t much room to pace. My mind began to wander, and I started questioning my life choices.

What was I even doing?

I started texting people, and somehow, the car became my very own isolation chamber. Every text felt like a lifeline, and every 5-minute break I took to walk around the parking lot felt like a trip to a distant land.

Hour 10: The Great Escape (A.K.A., Naps)

At this point, I was tired, so I decided it was time for a nap. Surely, a 15-minute nap wouldn’t hurt, right? WRONG. I think I drifted into some sort of weird half-sleep state, where I was neither fully asleep nor fully awake. This resulted in me feeling like a zombie when I woke up, and not in the cool, I’m-a-cool-undead-hero way, but more in the I-just-woke-up-from-a-bad-dream-where-I-was-stuck-in-a-car-forever way.

To make matters worse, the car got HOT. The windows were cracked, but not enough to prevent the interior from turning into a sauna. I couldn’t tell if I was sweating from the heat or the sheer frustration of the whole situation.

Hour 15: The Social Media Spiral

I spent the next few hours scrolling through social media. I mean, why not? It’s not like I had anything better to do while sitting in a car. My friends were posting their happy, non-car-bound lives, and I was stuck in a mobile box of doom that was slowly closing in on me.

At one point, I posted a photo of my miserable face with the caption, “24 hours in a car… and I regret everything.”

Hour 20: I’ve Had Enough

I hit the I-can’t-do-this-anymore stage. I was ready to bail on the challenge. I mean, who needs 24 hours in a car? Not me! But, of course, being the determined (and slightly crazy) person I am, I decided to push through. I gave myself a pep talk, “You can do this, Pari! You can live like a car-astronaut for just a few more hours!”

Then, my phone battery died.

Hour 24: FREEDOM!

Finally, the clock hit the 24-hour mark. I had done it. I had survived the 24-Hour Living in a Car Challenge, and I was alive to tell the tale. My back was sore, my bladder was near bursting, and I had learned a valuable life lesson:

Living in a car for 24 hours is a terrible idea.

So, there you have it. If you ever consider trying this challenge, do yourself a favor: pack extra pillows, figure out the bathroom situation in advance, and be prepared for a lot of awkward moments.

Until next time, stay comfy (preferably not in a car)!

PS: I’m booking a hotel for my next challenge.