5 Jobs You Never Even Thought About to Get Extra Cash During the Semester

By Meghan Callahan on October 10, 2011
There are lots of ways to make a little extra money in college, but not all of them are obvious.  If you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone, you might just find something that you like to do while helping fund your free time!

Photo by Tulane Public Relations on flickr.com

  1. Babysitting. If your college is anything like mine, you will find yourself in classes that are taught by professors, assistant professors, teacher’s assistants, or another adult figure. Although it is hard to picture these paragons of scholarly virtue outside of the lecture hall, they do exist beyond the campus boundaries. Professors are often the most desperately in need of babysitters because of the odd hours they must keep and their limited amounts of free time. Offer yourself as a child-care option! (Hint: This can be a great way to build a positive reputation with an individual professor or academic department.)
  2. Work where you live: RAs. The Residential Advisor life isn’t for everyone, but if you are knowledgeable about your school, the campus living experience, and you don’t mind laying down the law now and then, this could be a great position for you! Keep your eyes open for application deadlines, which will usually be the year before you could start work, and talk to the RAs around you to get the inside scoop on the job. Some schools even give you free room and board in addition to your paycheck! Added bonus: no commute.
  3. Tutor! Do you have a friend struggling in a class that you aced last semester? Join your school’s tutoring program if they have one and offer your services!  At my college, tutors are paid by the COLLEGE ITSELF, rather than the individual student, so it is a great way to make cash on the side without worrying about taking your friends’ money. If your school only has professional tutors, you could also offer help at a reduced rate to people who may not be able to afford their price tag. (Remember: Academic honesty and integrity is extremely important, both for your future and the individual you are helping!)
  4. Drive. Have a car on campus? That’s great news for you, and great news for your wallet! Especially if your campus is full of out-of-state students or further away from a central city hub, having some sort of driving service can be beneficial to you and the people around you. There is always someone who needs a lift to the airport/pharmacy/mall/etc.! Just be sure you keep your rates reasonable, keep your license clean of citations and tickets, and take gas mileage into account when you charge your passengers.
  5. Dive into your passion, or your department! Let’s say you are majoring in Geosciences. Does a professor need a lab assistant? An intern during Thanksgiving break? An extra hand in her Thursday evening class? It never hurts to ask, and you never know what kind of networking connections (and dollars!) you may be building up. Don’t forget to check in the areas of your passions too, whether they are theater or athletics or student government/service. Especially now, at the beginning of the semester, clubs and activities need all the help they can get!

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