I'm starting a new job Tuesday thats approx 30-45 minutes drive away, and I'm a nervous wreck. Part of it is anxiety over the new job itself, but worst part is the fear of driving to be honest. I've also just moved to the area from 2,000+ miles away last week, so I don't know the roads well. 

I've obsessively studied the map about 100 times and basically there's two routes I can take. Either the highway (the straight, direct route. Would only take 30 mins or so) or the windy, back country roads (Would add at least 15 mins to the commute, but almost no traffic). I hate the highway, and it makes me nauseous just thinking about it. People drive so much faster than I'm used to, and I'm worried about keeping pace and entering the onramp at the right speed. People sometimes go 80+ mph when they fastest I've ever gone is maybe 50. I'm a slow driver, which I know isn't exactly safe, but my brain goes to the worst case scenario about an accident at that speed, or I dont trust myself to keep the same level of control of the car when going fast.

But the thing is, when someone does come up behind me on the country roads I panic also. Mainly because they -also- want to go fast and its only one lane in each direction, so I slow everyone down and its harder for them to pass me. I had to do the drive last week for a final interview +drug test, and I went with the country road method. I made it there and survived, thankfully. But that route is definitely going to be less safe when summer ends. Its pitch black at night on the winding roads through dense woods, I've never driven in the dark before at all. 

I guess I just need to exposure therapy myself to start taking the highway at some point. I hope its not too much for me working at this place, I may have bitten off more than I can chew with accepting a position farther away.