College is that period in a person’s life when they desperately need to balance the amount of studying done with the amount of fun had. The only problem, of course, is that having fun isn’t cheap.
Proper fun costs money, and that’s all a student needs money for in either case. Textbooks, food, clothes and miscellaneous expenses are all part of the sizable package.
Students need a steady source of income, preferably from a low-capital idea. Your next venture might be in a completely unexpected field, too, so it’s a chance to explore new specializations. An engineering student might sign up for a ‘grade my paper’ site and find it particularly profitable, for instance.
Photography
Taking photos is ubiquitous in the modern-day world. Anyone with a moderately-decent phone can take high-quality photos and call themselves a photographer.
And yet, even the latest iPhone is going to pale in comparison to what a mid-range DSLR camera can do, with proper practice, of course. There’s always a place for people with skill if they know how to use it.
Reviewing your peers’ papers
Before you either get too excited or distraught, this kind of peer review has nothing to do with scientific articles. It is possible to get one of those jobs, just not as an undistinguished undergraduate student. The kind of peer review we’re talking about is being a paper rater.
There are tons of sites that will allow you to register and revise other people’s papers for errors (factual or grammatical) and get paid. For instance, if you rate any paper at EduBirdie, expect to earn a sizeable commission, depending on the complexity of the paper. You can pick up a thesis, dissertation, or any other writing assignment that you want.
Copy editor/proofreader
Copy editing is different from peer-reviewing because it doesn’t necessarily involve fact-checking. In other words, it’s marginally simpler than peer-reviewing, but almost just as rewarding.
The two options available to you with this front is to either join a digital agency or start your own gig. The latter option involves quite a bit of self-promotion and making noise online. You could even start your own ‘rate my paper’ website and promote it by giving away a few free checks for first-time customers.
If you don’t have an affinity for public visibility, this might not be the option for you. It’s a pretty competitive field, and you have to set yourself apart somehow.
Web and app development
The programming industry is in need of programmers, as every passing day gives birth to brand new ideas. Web and app development is a good idea for students because it has very low barriers to entry. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection, and then you can basically teach yourself anything.
From there, the world is your oyster. You’re free to take on freelance jobs, remote jobs, or full-time employment if you prefer. You might even be able to come up with the idea that people are more than willing to pay for it. A professional, free plagiarism checker maintained by ad-revenue or donations would be a welcome invention, for example.
Blogging
Another kind of startup that has a very low barrier of entry for students is blogging. Blogging is a beautiful way to get your content writing career because it opens you up to a whole new online world.
With enough practice, you could make a living as a copywriter and freelancer, have a better chance of being accepted as a paper grader, or even monetize your blog and earn money off of it.
This especially works well for people doing courses like literature or journalism. Most lucrative ‘grade my paper’ platforms are especially welcoming of individuals with some sort of social proof.
Blogging also goes well with literally any other profession, too. Real Estate, IT, marketing, and even baking are all niches that could use one or two more high-quality blogs.
Resume/CV writer
If you have a hard time writing a resume, it might bring you some relief to find out that you’re not on your own. Do some research on what it takes to build a scalable CV-writing business and attempt to penetrate the market. It also covers writing cover letters, business profiles, LinkedIn profiles, and other profiles on social media.
Like many other self-initiated jobs, this also requires quite a bit of research and self-promotion. It’s always advisable to do a fair amount of research into how to promote yourself online before you dive in. If you don’t know where to start, you can search for some guides and tips for witting CVs, cover letters, etc. on Howtowrite.customwritings.com.
Conclusion
For students, the most appealing option for making a quick buck is anything that doesn’t have a very high capital barrier of entry and doesn’t take up too much time out of the day. The most viable option is always to start your own gig in an area that really interests you. If you’re into photography, blogging, coding, writing, or editing photos, pick up an idea around that. For the lowest barrier of entry, however, a check my paper platform is a good choice, too. All you need is the internet, a laptop and to be literate.
Author Bio:
Rey Campbell is a copywriter and a digital marketer working for tech startups and online writing services. He also works as an academic writer for college and university level papers in the fields of business management, finance, and technology. In his free time, you’ll find him playing golf with his friends, trying various cuisines in his kitchen for her two daughters, and playing with his three Labradors.
