Thinking Of Driving An Uber To Fund Your Studies? Some Things You Should Know First

There’s no better path to a brighter future than education. Higher education can imbue you with the skills, knowledge and resources that you need to achieve the career of your dreams or even take a bite of the entrepreneurial apple. But like anything worth having, studying is hard. Not only must you navigate the perils and pitfalls of full time learning, you must also navigate the perils of maintaining a home, paying the bills and keeping the roof over your head and the food on your plate. This is hard enough for those with a full time job, but when our studies limit the time in which we can earn, it gets a whole lot harder.

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In the gig economy, many drivers who own their own vehicles have chosen to dedicate their free time to becoming an Uber driver, and in recent years this has become an especially popular money making opportunity among students. Given the flexibility and the fact that it can potentially pay better than most student jobs, it’s not hard to see why so many students flock to it. But if you’re considering making some money this way, it’s essential that you keep the caveats in mind.  

Make sure your car is up to the job

Uber driving is not for those with diesel vehicles. Diesel vehicles are marathon runners rather than sprinters. Being an Uber driver inevitably involves short journeys at relatively low speeds. This means that over time your Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) will become blocked with soot and won’t get the opportunity to purge (which usually happens automatically when travelling at high speeds at 2000-3000 rpm). This can result in a total breakdown of your vehicle and a very expensive repair.

If, however, you’re one of the many students driving electric or hybrid cars, you have the ideal vehicle to earn a crust as an Uber driver.

Never drive while tired, angry or hungry

When you’re driving to fund your studies, it’s easy not to treat it with the gravity that it deserves. But make no mistake, if this is to be profitable for you, your behavior on the road must be unimpeachable. That means that you never get behind the wheel unless you are well fed, well hydrated, well rested and ready to turn on the charm. Driving while angry, tired or hungry can cause you to make poor decisions on the road which could compromise your safety, the safety of your passengers and your reputation.

Don’t sacrifice speed for safety

If you’re trying to make money as an Uber driver, it’s vital that you aren’t tempted to race yourself to the finish line. Sure, your passengers want to get to where they’re going quickly… But they’d rather get there in one piece. Driving for speed can make you sacrifice safety. You could wind up with a poor review or even visiting www.DuffyLawCT.com/state-crimes/traffic-crimes/ to seek legal counsel for the dangerous driving claim made against you. Slow and steady always wins the race when you’re an Uber driver.

Bring your winning personality to work

Finally, your tips will make all the difference between making okay money and making great money from this side hustle. That means you bring your winning personality and your biggest smile to work for each and every passenger, even when you’re not feeling as sunny as you could on the inside. You might just surprise yourself with how much better wearing a smile makes you feel.

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 11/14/14

Welcome to this week in geek!

I have a random selection of awesome things I'm into this week so lets get to it!

• Yik Yak

I recently downloaded this app for the first time to finally check it out for myself. I've been hearing a lot about it in professional circles and have read about it so I thought it would be good to see what was being said around my institution. It is consistent with the current zeitgeist about the app; a lot of sexist, angry, trivial, stream of consciousness posts. I agree that these things aren't being said because of Yik Yak, the app is just providing a platform for them. I'm interested to see how people to adapt to this app in the social media landscape, and where students and young people go next once Yik Yak isn't "cool" any more.

• Chef

I just watched this movie after hearing some good buzz about it when it came out earlier this year. It is written and directed by Jon Favreau (and also stars him as the titular chef, Carl Casper) of Iron Man fame. The movie is about a chef who has lost his passion for his cooking and has an existential crisis when a food critic smacks down his work online. He eventually opens up a food truck and begins to piece his life back together with his estranged wife and son. The film is a lot about the emotional relationship we can have with food and cooking, as well as the art of a masterfully prepared meal. It is a fun, light, heartwarming movie with some excellent actors in supporting roles like Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey, Jr., Dustin Hoffman, and John Leguizamo. I recommend you check it out, especially if you're a foodie!

• Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

This web series was created by Jerry Seinfeld and it is exactly what the title suggests. We see Jerry ride around in vintage cars with popular comedians and they chat while they get coffee. It's simple yet brilliant in its minimalism. He's had guests on such as Jon Stewart, Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K, Patton Oswalt, and Tina Fey. Every episode is fun and unique and I've enjoyed pretty much all of them so it's great to spend some time with since it is a wholly authentic effort on Seinfeld's part since he's having real conversations in real places with these people. It feels very raw and benefits from it.

Thanks for stopping by!