5 ways to go from “Papa ki pari” to “Meeting hai, hurry!” — how to get financial independence in college

Imagine yourself being financially independent, ekdum aazad. Having to ask for money even for that 10 rupees ka Xerox or that zaikedar vada pav is not a moment that we are proud of.

This might be a little harsh, but if all you want to do is stay the little "Papa ki Paari", then this blog is not for you. But, if you look forward to finding solutions to being financially independent and getting busy with work and meetings, you are at the right place. Many of your college mates, might not even be thinking of making a side income right now, but if you do and are reading this, you are already a step ahead.

When I go back to the day and think about why I started working at Launchspace along with college in the first place, my mind comes up with many reasons, two of them being the major ones. Firstly, a place to master a bunch of skillsets, and secondly to make that ticket to freedom - Money.

Being a college student saving was not my priority, but just being able to sponsor my trips and outings without wondering "Aaj papa ka mood kaisa hai" was enough of a reason and that is when I decided to work here as a Content Writer. Not having to ask my parents for money every month made them feel proud and an azaad panchi. Well, these reasons were enough for me to start earning and I'm sure they are for you too.

Later I realized, that the advantages of working along with college are not merely restricted to making money. It helps you enhance, the most quintessential sheet of paper that documents all your amazing skills and achievements, the guruji of all papers, your Resume. And of course, you get plenty of clarity as to what you want to pursue as your lifelong career and what all cool career options exist out there in the world.

Gone are the days when you needed to be doing a 9-5 job (which is even not quite possible for everyone during college) to have financial security, the world has opened up a plethora of options where you can work from home or at some chai ka thela with flexible working hours, so you can make money even raat ke 2 baje when your insomnia kicks in. After researching and looking at various options, here are my top 5 picks to work and earn along with college -

1. Short-term internships: These are a great way to dip your feet into the corporate world. You can apply for short-term internships via Internshala, LetsIntern, etc. where they give you the opportunity to work for only a few hours per day along with college and fir uske baad masti. I have an interesting personal life experience for you. I applied for an internship and was fortunate enough to have received a reply from Launchspace. It’s been 4 months now and I have been putting around 2-3 hours every day. From planning and ideation to content writing here, I have come a long way. This internship provides expertise in amazing new skills and an edge to my resume by making my profile chamkila and different from my peers. Thus short-term projects/ internships are an amazing way to learn, earn, and have a banger of college life. Also time-out! I might have a mast surprise stored for you later in the article. All you have to do is keep reading :P
2. Tutoring: Well, there is no harm in spreading the knowledge that you possess, and if that makes you an earning, it's nothing less than icing on the cake. If certain subjects catch your interest go for it. Not just subjects, these days people are keen to learn extracurricular activities like music, dance, sports, etc. It is interesting and fun to be the guruji for once and teach others what you already enjoy. Think of it as a fun activity, but the one that makes you money and polishes your existing knowledge. Also, who doesn't want to boss around some little kids!
3. Blogging: Blogging is like putting your heart out in front of an audience. If you are passionate about something and you think people would be interested in knowing about it, you should start your blog. You can either write blogs for someone or even buy your domain and kickstart your website. But paiso ke liye thoda sabar karna padega. You won’t start earning initially but as you gather your audience, brand promotions and advertisements can help fill your pockets beyond your imagination. You will slowly be able to build a community of loyal fans. A community ensures a stable future. The community would be there as the first readers when you write a blog, and the first customers when you start a business. So you can actually take this forward as your actual career in the future and not just some part-time activity. If you just want some practice and quick money, go ahead and write some blogs for other people first and get the criticism to improve your writing and also earn at the same time. Sounds like a win-win to me!
4. Online Business: With more and more people becoming a part of social media, online business today is attaining a lot of importance. Many people look forward to comfort shopping, wherein the goods reach their doorstep without them having to step out. Whether goods or services, the internet has become a marketplace for everything. You can sell jewelry, clothes, furniture, mattresses, etc. On the other hand, services like counseling, consulting, tarot reading, etc also happen online. Apart from goods and services, the Internet has also opened a safe space for informational products. Courses, e-books, and whitepapers are now all just a click away. I have friends who sell products like handmade chocolates, and artistic handmade pieces on social media platforms, especially Instagram, and this benefitted them not just in earning but in building their marketplace. So just pick a niche and kar do shuru, you might discover an amazing career path.
5. Freelancing: We were talking about online business. Freelancing is one such profession similar to it. You get to be apna maalik! You will get to be self-employed and companies pay you in exchange for some work that you do for them, so the more skills you learn the better. Freelancer, Fiverr, Upwork, etc, are great platforms to apply for freelancing gigs. If you love doing something and have a skill for it, freelancing is a good way to earn money alongside your studies and work at suitable hours - raat ko neend na aye toh girlfriend/ boyfriend ko 12 missed call karne se acha, work as a freelancer and make some decent cash. There are a plethora of options- you can work as a graphic designer (use Canva), freelance content creator (use Peppertype), or social media manager (use Hootsuite). Besides money, freelancing would help you create connections and a community, essential for a great future. This community can be your forever loyal customers for any business you start and would surely help you with their word-of-mouth publicity.

There are a lot of options for everyone with different talents and interests and frankly, it might be confusing for you. So you can try each one of these for a few months to see if it's the right fit for you! You need not wait for your degree to end to start earning, start it along with your studies, to know what you are meant for, to attain financial freedom and some brownie points for your resume.

Most importantly, you realize at an early age what you are and aren’t made for, which, trust me, would save you a lot of your time and suffering when you really need a career. Through this blog, I have put forward my point of view and hope that I could give some clarity to your thoughts.

So, visualize a future of not having to ask your parents for money, getting that OYO money, buying that combo meal of kebabs and cakes, maybe even going on a trip with friends or solo, I bet it looks beautiful. So, are you ready for THE trip of your life ?! A great future awaits you, but it is you who has to take the little steps to reach it.

Now coming to the good part, the surprise! I am going to save you from the hassle of applying to innumerable internships and offer you something.

We, at Launchspace, are looking to hire growth consultants! An opportunity for you to take action right away. This might not be a little but a big step in your career. If you are interested, fill out the form here.

Then when your Mumma calls you to do ghar ka kaam, you can say "Mummy meeting hai yaar!"