A MAN who dropped out of college and took up living out of his car has revealed it taught him more about life than school ever could.
Robert French, gave up his brick and mortar house and opted for a home on wheels after becoming fed up with education.
When Robert graduated secondary school virtually, and entered college in 2020 during the peak Covid-19 isolation period, he thought he would be able to make it through to the other side.
But two years into his education, and thousands of pounds worth of debt later, he realised he had lost his sense of purpose and direction so he decided to drop out of school and live out of his car.
He said college felt like a summer camp where he'd attend classes, join clubs, hang out with people, and party on the weekend, but he had learn nothing about the real world.
Robert quickly began realising that he had little to no idea about real life responsibilities such as pay bills or manage taxes.
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He decided to take the plunge and leave school, in the hopes of discovering himself, and learning crucial life lessons while he was at it.
The free man began building hiking trails with AmeriCorps in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where he worked four days a week.
He would camp out with his team in Rocky Mountain National Park, Vail, or next to Mount Elbert where he would help repair forest fire damage and build from stones and logs.
But the other three remaining days of the week, he would live out of Lady Hercules – his Ford Escape Hybrid.
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Robert would drive the car out to national forests and public land with his friends and set up camp.
He wrote on Insider: "Over my entire two-month term, I didn't sleep in a building once".
The car-lover made around £290 a week from his camping gig, and was also entitled to benefits from the state.
Since his meals were covered on days that he was working, his only regular expenses were petrol – and propane for his camping stove.
Robert quickly fell in love with living in a wheeled home across a variety of national parks, and never looked back.
"If you can stomach sleeping under the stars, pooping in holes in the ground, and eating from a cooler, you're allowed to live on these lands for free for 14 days at a time," he said.
He has since planned several more trips after adjusting to the lifestyle.
Not having to worry about accommodation on his travels and only having to think about paying for gas is what made the idea so attractive to him.
"For the past year, I've been going around, camping out here and there, working when I need money, and quitting when I get bored.
"It's been far more rewarding than college ever was," he said.
To those thinking about following in Robert's footsteps, he revealed there are several downsides to car life.
Cooking on a tiny propane stove can become a challenge, while your living space must be critter-proofed every night.
He also warned it is almost impossible to keep the vehicle clean and organised which may not bode well for some.
Robert also recalled getting trapped in floods, scaring away a bear and being dragged off private property by a gun-wielding landowner.
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But these are also just added to the long list of reasons of why he loves his new lifestyle as they're challenges you'll never overcome while sitting in a class.
He did admit that he doesn't plan on living out of his car forever but when he returns to a normal home, he will have life experiences that many others will not have.
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