5 Fire Skills to Learn from College Side Hustles

Nobody really tells you what comes after college. One day, you're drowning in papers and exams, and the next, you're suddenly expected to have your life figured out. Before you know it, you're sending out job applications, wishing you'd done more to prepare. 

Your dream job is out there but you need the right work skills to grab it. A great way to do that is with a college side hustle where you’ll be creating opportunities for yourself and getting that bag at the same time.

There are loads of side hustles for college students and each one can help you pick up different work skills such as: 

1. Time Management

We have 24 hours in a day, but for college students, it feels more like 24 minutes. Apart from classes, you also have Greek life commitments and maybe extracurriculars. Like that TikTok song goes, "Where'd all the time go? It's starting to flyyy." Yup, we definitely felt that.

A well-chosen side hustle can help you manage your time better. I KNOW it sounds kinda sus but hear us out: nobody else is going to tell you what to do with your college side hustles – it’s all you. You'll need to pick your class schedules efficiently, coordinate meetings with your org mates better, and show up for your side hustle. 

You’ll be humbled by the change in your schedule at first ngl, but you’ll soon be the boss of your own time. 

2. People Skills

Remember Valerie Tran, our former Campus Manager? After her gig with us, this queen leveled up her career by landing a gig as an Assistant Merchandise Planner at Abercrombie & Fitch!

The people skills she learned as a CM are a huge asset in her current role. Forget being a "certified yapper" (although that probably came in handy), Valerie learned how to build real connections with clients and stay looped in with the FP team to make it all happen. Look at where she is now!

College life is hard af, that's why merch heads need someone who understands the struggle of juggling academic with everything else. Just like Valerie, you'll learn how to connect with people and understand their needs. 

3. Creativity

You're probs sitting there thinking, “Pass, I can’t draw or write poems for shit.” Hold off on that L take, because you’re still qualified to be a UGC creator.

But what is a UGC creator? These are people who make videos, photos, or social media posts for brands. The best part, according to Nikola Bojkov, is that you don't necessarily need a massive following or sky-high engagement. 

Content creation is everything these days. Being creative is a massive flex in the working world, especially if you want a job in marketing or advertising.

4. Goal Setting

Apple Watch girlies, you know that the struggle of closing those rings and hitting your daily steps is real. Same goes for goals. We all write them down, but sticking to them is a whole other story. 

As it turns out, Fulcrum Labs says setting goals is a skill you gotta learn, not some magic power you're born with. Here’s the proof, ya’ll:

Sofi Melgarejo, a total rockstar CM and former Apparel Chair of Zeta Tau Alpha (Alpha Xi Chapter), crushed two semester sales records in her first term! No, it wasn't just because of Jupiter's retrograde kind of situation. Sofi learned the power of goal setting.

For instance, even though some clients didn't need their merch until January, Sofi convinced them to order earlier to bypass the winter break rush. By anticipating an increase in demand and potential delays and setting a goal to hit the $220,000 record, she not only reached it but smashed it by $5,000 more! She ATE and left no crumbs.

5. Problem Solving

Side hustles are all about finding solutions for people’s problems. The first step is finding something people need help with, something that makes them say, "Ugh if only someone could fix this!" Spoiler alert: you get to be the hero in this scenario. 

This problem does not need to be world-changing. Unless you're selling, like, eco-friendly water bottles, then maybe a little. 

Good at writing relatable jokes? There's a small brand out there needing your humor in their captions. 

Really really good at persuasion and coordination? Join us as a CM – there are student leaders on your campus right now pulling their hair out trying to find the perfect merch supplier. You get the idea. That was a self-promo btw.

PS: Stuff will go wrong all the time. But hey, that's how you become a problem-solving pro, both in your career and, let's be real, your everyday life. 

There are lots of work skills out there waiting to be unlocked. All you have to do is find something that ignites your curiosity, something that makes you say, "Hey, I could actually do that!" 

Now go forth and get that bread.