My first night as an Uber driver was truly one to remember. With a heavy mix of nerves and excitement not knowing what to expect, I began what would become one of my most memorable nights of the year.
In October, I finally became an Uber Driver after months of persuasion from one of my close friends who has been driving for a while at USC. His tales of lucrative nights and a sizable referral bonus enticed me to give it a shot. I agreed to complete the 15 ride requirement, after which we would both receive the bonus.
I was interested in the prospect of making easy money, but I maintained reservations about the discomfort of having strangers in my car. My biggest fear is that some drunk college student will throw up in my car. This has never happened (knock on wood).
I decided to begin my experience as an Uber partner on a Friday night. I anxiously waited until 9:30 p.m. then turned on the app and hit the road. I drove out of my apartment’s parking lot and within two minutes received my first ride request! My first pick up was on campus taking home a student who had been working in a lab.
I thought to myself, “Should I tell her she’s my first rider? Would that make her uneasy?” We made friendly conversation about school, and she told me she is an international student from China. Shortly after dropping her off, I picked up someone who was in town visiting their brother.
They asked me for a food recommendation preferably Mexican, so I took them to a popular place in town for college students, El Burrito. It’s one of the few places open at 3 a.m. on the weekends that serves students trying to quench their drunchies.
By this time, it was around 10 p.m. and I started receiving ride requests to the bars in downtown or house parties. Throughout the night, I mostly drove undergraduate students, but also some graduate students and older adults. I picked up and dropped off a few rides from one house party on E St. I drove four football players, three of them squeezed in my back seat from North Davis to the bars. During this ride, I cranked up the music, per their request, to help them get pumped for their night out after playing earlier in the day. This experience was pretty typical for my night. Blasting loud party music to prepare people for their events.
I didn’t anticipate the social aspect of the job. I felt like my riders' friend because I could relate to their life as a student. It was so easy to make conversation. When riders are expecting a driver that’s a male in their 30s or 40s, they were pleasantly surprised that a student their age was giving them a lift. Coincidentally, twp of my pick-ups that first night were actually people I went to high school with. What are the chances in a university as big as Davis?
I also wasn’t expecting how much I would get hit on. On my first night, a few different girls added themselves as contacts in my phone or on Snapchat. I definitely didn’t mind the compliments.
I was enjoying making connections with passengers and helping them have a fun night. The constantly changing cast of characters in my backseat helped keep things interesting. Some of my passengers asked me questions about school, plans after graduation, or about my experience that night Uber driving. With other passengers, I asked them questions to get to know them.
The ending to the night is the most epic part of the story. I was heading home and about to turn onto my street and shut off the app when I got one last call only a minute away, so I decided to accept it. I definitely don’t regret that decision. The passengers were a group of four students who wanted to go to none other tan El Burrito to quench their drunchies.
I talked to them about their night, and when we pulled up to El Burrito they offered to buy me food and invited me to eat with them. No way I was going to turn that down after driving for almost four hours straight. Their excitement to eat with their Uber driver was hilarious to me. In my mind, I’m just another student making some money on the side. They bought me a burrito and proceeded to take selfies with me. When we finished eating, I drove each of them home free of charge.
During this drive, the girl in the front seat added me on Snapchat. I didn’t think much would come of the girls who I had connected with that night. I finally got home around 2:30 a.m. feeling excited and satisfied with my first Uber experience. I went through the next week of school and talked to all of my friends about the excitement of my first Uber night. I was ecstatic and needed just one more ride to earn my bonus.
The next Friday around 8 p.m., I received a message from the girl in my last ride who bought me a burrito and added me on Snapchat. She asked me if I had plans that night, which I didn’t. Then invited me to be her date for cuffs 'n’ cases where we would be handcuffed together at a party all night. I had never been to cuffs 'n’ cases and was up for the adventure. So, I figured why not go for it?
When I arrived at her house, where she and her roommates were hosting the party, I was greeted with a hero’s welcome. The rest of the passengers from my last ride and El Burrito trip the week before were there too. I was introduced to everyone as the “coolest Uber driver ever” and went by Uber as my name for much of the night. A couple different times during the party, people began chanting “Uber, Uber, Uber” – I felt like the life of the party. This was awesome! I had so much fun and got to know this cool girl over the time we were handcuffed together. This whole night was an unforgettable adventure. I had seemingly gained celebrity status by simply doing my job.
My first night Uber driving was one of the most unpredictable experiences I’ve ever had. So many unexpected benefits. I never could’ve imagined the fun I would have being a student Uber driver in a college town.
If you would like to learn more about my stories, how being an Uber partner works, how to get a referral bonus, or anything Uber feel free to reach out to me on Facebook or Twitter.
