I spent 4 years of college earning $0 while spending more than $8,000 on my academic education. That was not just the case with me. Almost every college student was in the same boat. None of us had any side hustles or side sources of income.
After my college years, when I discovered the blog earning potential, I regretted weeks of not having it as my side hustle during my college days.
I don’t want this to happen to you as well!
In this article, I will share why having a side hustle is a must for every college student in the present world. Also, having a blog is one of the best side hustle options for a college-going student. Let’s begin with the term ‘side hustle.’
What is Side Hustle?
A side hustle is a job, freelance gig, or business that one does in their spare time, mostly to earn extra income. Some people engage in a side hustle to follow their passion, while others do so for money.
Side hustles have numerous benefits, including these:
- You get paid for doing what you like. For example, a passionate writer can get paid for doing freelance writing gigs.
- Since you do what you like more, it opens up your creative channels.
- Your confidence will be soaring after a time as you start gaining power over finances.
Additionally, one can even leave their daytime after crossing a ‘success mark’ and make their passion a full-time thing. For instance, Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi left her full-time job at 25 after following her passion for writing.
Should Students Engage in Side Hustle?
The straight answer is—yes (very rarely, no)!
If you are in college, a side hustle can help you earn pocket money. Additionally, you will be fueling your creative side which can even become transactional in the long run.
Side hustles are especially helpful to students from tier-3 colleges who don’t get enough exposure. Learning a new skill gives you access to off-campus opportunities.
But numbers mean it better, don’t they? Here are some stats:
- Side hustlers who spend 12 hours per week on their business earn an average of $1,122 per month.
- 38% of bloggers start earning a full-time income in 2 years.
- 27% of bloggers start earning within 6 months.
While all these stats are good to look at, your income depends highly on the time you spend at work.
For the same reason, students such as those in the medical field shouldn’t consider side hustles due to their hectic schedules. That’s where the ‘maybe no’ situation comes in.
Some side hustle Options for college Students
Several minor jobs, such as newspaper delivery boy, waiter or waitress, caretaker, part-time gardener, etc., are well-known side hustle options.
Fortunately, with advancing digital technologies and internet speed, hundreds of hours of earning potential are possible by just sitting and hitting laptop keyboards. And, in this article, we will focus on digital side hustle options for college students.
Here’s a short list:
- Blogging: Start writing and publishing articles on your website.
- Sell digital products: Create digital products such as ebooks and sell them on platforms such as Gumroad.
- Freelancing: Work for multiple clients at a time without committing to them as a full-time employee.
- Virtual Assistant: Similar to assisting someone, you help your client manage their tasks virtually.
- Consulting: Let’s say you’re really good at a certain thing. You can offer consultation services to people who may be seeking your knowledge.
- Affiliate Marketing: Many companies offer affiliate programs that offer a percentage of commission in every sale you make of their products. (For example, Amazon Affiliate Program)
- Start a YouTube Channel: Put out 1-2 videos every week, and increase the frequency as your channel grows.
- Self-Publish: Amazon KDP allows writers to publish their books for free. You can earn a percentage of your book’s every sale.
- Online Tutoring: Some platforms pay online tutors well. So, you can earn good enough if you have a strong grip on a subject.
Why Blogging is Best Side Hustle for College Students?
Blogging is the best side hustle for college students who have a quench for writing. The best part is that you won’t be wired with strict deadlines and will be free to write anytime.
Here are some of the pros and cons of blogging as a side hustle for college students:
Speaking of consistency, you have to publish at least 3 blogs per week. The rest of the time, spend marketing your blog posts on social media.
Isn’t blogging an amazing side hustle?
Blogging not just help in earning side-income, but also build your portfolio for future job application.
What’s even better is, you can start blogging in the easiest way with 1MillionBlogs. The mentor, Satya Prakash Mourya, takes you through 10 sessions — from basics to advanced learning.
Start free with blogging session #1.
Go for YouTube, If You're into Video Editing
Let’s say you’re more of a speaker than a writer. So, you can start a YouTube channel and start publishing videos consistently — maybe 2 videos per week.
However, running a YouTube channel is more than recording and publishing. Other tasks include script writing and video editing which may consume a lot more time than simply writing.
So, choose your ‘side hustle’ as per your schedule.
Important Tips for College Side Hustlers
Before you begin a side hustle, here are some tips for you to manage your side hustle and studies better:
- Prioritize your education over any other task.
- Spend your earning wisely. Save more for your books, fees, application forms, and other essential before spending on regular activities.
- Avoid distractions and learn to utilize your time effectively.
- Give your mind enough rest at times.
- Don’t forget to enjoy your college life as well. This time won’t come back again.
Side hustles for students turn out to be effective only when done the right way!
Wrapping Up
As a student, your priority should be your studies. Some of the academic courses, such as engineering, medical finance, etc., demand your full time and full effort in assignments, classes, and courses.
Avoid side hustles in such cases, a caution note.
Otherwise, don’t waste your college time watching TV series or playing games. Turn your friend into your team, and start making money as your side hustle.
Best wishes from my side.
If you need any further help, reach out to me.
Note: get an office chair: https://amzn.to/3X1mFOT
Get a headphone for video editing: https://amzn.to/3zvJQJB
