College is a transition for every college freshman, regardless of the distance from home or the closeness to parents. College is a new experience, it is a place where a student does not need to have been the “queen bee” or the “cool kid” of their high school to make meaningful friendships. One of the things that I have personally come to appreciate is the diversity amongst my newest friends. We have several things in common from taking classes together to being able to appreciate each other’s cultures to wanting to go out explore the city. However, coming from a small town, and low-income family, having the money to pay for new adventures can get complicated. Regardless of how much you have in your bank account, college is expensive. Money starts to get pulled in every which way, and having extra cash for those shoes you’ve been wanting is suddenly a farfetched dream.

Do you expect your parents to give you money? College is a time for self-development and if you’re depending on your parents to fulfill your expenses, it’s time to give that up. There are a variety of forms to save (or generate) money and start experiencing college. The effort you put into working for what you want will create value and appreciation in so many things. Other than applying for a job on campus, I have found other means of creating a significant profit through the most laid-back ways.

1. Participate in a Research Study

Personally, one of the coolest ways to make money on campus is through participation in studies. There are several scholars on campus that require surveys for their research and usually participating in their questionnaires leads to a small compensation. Be sure to check your school email for messages that are directly from the scholar that is conducting the research.

2. Apply for a work-study job

Work study is another simple way of making money because it is a job that will schedule you according to your classes. I currently hold a work-study job at the Hotspot of my campus, and most of my time is spent working on my homework than any job-related task.

3. Sell your old clothes, electronics online.

You don’t have to spend time arranging your closet and stacking up old clothes in the back anymore. Selling your clothes online is an easy way to make money and make more space in your room. It can be as easy as taking a picture of an old pair of shoes and uploading it to Facebook, or you can take it to your nearest thrift store.

4. Learn the art of couponing!

There may be several ways of making money, but it is high key to be able to manage the money you already have. As a first year in college, I have been tempted to buy everything I seem to need but don’t need. Know how to save your money by becoming aware of sales, downloading couponing apps, and setting a budget. An app that is targeted at helping college students is Unidays. It provides students with specific coupons to stores that are of their age preferences and are an extra coupon in addition to sales the store may have.