6 Life Lessons I've Learned From Uber Drivers | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

6 Life Lessons I've Learned From Uber Drivers

Make the journey meaningful.

117
6 Life Lessons I've Learned From Uber Drivers
Abdiel Ibarra

"Life is about the journey, not the destination."

Well, I can confidently say that I've never applied that saying to transportation before.

Car rides, train rides, and flights have always just been stepping stones to me-- something I needed to do to get where I'm going.

Recently, though, I've found myself looking forward to taking Ubers.

Weird, right?

I've had some amazing conversations and have met some truly interesting and wise people in my recent Uber rides.

And why shouldn't the journey be meaningful too?

Here's some life lessons I've learned...yes, in an Uber.

1. The little things matter

The little pouches of pretzels that one driver handed out?

And the phone charger with 6 cables that let everyone in the car charge their phone at once?

Not anything crazy.

And yet these were the most impactful things--they were so thoughtful yet so simple.Taking small steps to make someone's day a little brighter makes big differences.

2. Anyone can make a difference

Yeah, yeah, I know--you've heard this one before. But I'm not talking huge scale changes; I’m talking a difference in one person's day.

One of my favorite things someone can say to me is, "You made my day." Making someone's day means that I was able to bypass any hardships, problems, or troubles that person was having and make a positive impact.

My goal for every Uber ride is to create "you made my day" moments.

It's not hard to brighten someone's day, but the impact is huge.

3. Quality over quantity

Last week, I had a 9 minute ride packed with 9 hours worth of good conversation.

Live in the moment, and pack every minute with as much meaning as possible.

It's not about how many minutes... it's about how much those minutes are worth.

4. Compromise often

One of my favorite visuals: Sean Mendes playing on the radio while the driver has headphones in.

The driver wanted to make sure everyone was happy, including himself.

It's not hard to think of others and meet in the middle.

5. Expressing gratitude is important

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you know you've helped someone?

Why not spread that?

A few weeks ago, I told my Uber driver that I genuinely appreciated and enjoyed our conversation.

I think he teared up.

People need to know that they're appreciated and that they're important.

And if some random Uber passenger can make a grown man cry? I'd say giving thanks is a pretty big deal.

6. Sometimes, you just need someone to listen

One of my drivers told me about his career mistakes and goals for the future within the first five minutes of my ride.

Another told me about his experience in the Vietnam war, and the toll that it's taken on his emotions throughout the years.

Why me, though? I really didn't ask for these stories, or say anything noteworthy in the conversation before.

But I was listening.

And sometimes, that's the best thing you can do for someone. Even someone you just met and will likely never see again.

Cherish every moment--even the moments in an Uber.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

1563
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1040
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 20 Thoughts College Students Have During Finals

The ultimate list and gif guide to a college student's brain during finals.

252
winter

Thanksgiving break is over and Christmas is just around the corner and that means, for most college students, one hellish thing — finals week. It's the one time of year in which the library becomes over populated and mental breakdowns are most frequent. There is no way to avoid it or a cure for the pain that it brings. All we can do is hunker down with our books, order some Dominos, and pray that it will all be over soon. Luckily, we are not alone in this suffering. To prove it, here are just a few of the many deranged thoughts that go through a college student's mind during finals week.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

1666
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments