College students get creative to make money amid depreciated job market
One-third of all college students, about 14 million in total, have lost their jobs due to the pandemic
Since the coronavirus pandemic wiped out job opportunities like serving at restaurants or working on-campus jobs, many college students have thought of new and creative ways to make money.
According to Temple University, one-third of all college students, about 14 million in total, have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
Texas A&M University sophomore Tamarek Sweat started her own custom clothing business, The College Trap, to pay the bills and she runs it out of her apartment near campus.
“I do have to pay rent and I have a light bill and I have to also juggle debt and school stuff like as far as books and access codes and all this other stuff that college requires,” Sweat told FOX Business. “So I knew I needed money and I knew I needed it fast. And so I just found a way to get money.”
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Sweat takes sweatshirts, T-shirts and other apparel orders from students at more than 30 universities and does most of her business via Instagram.
“I started off for financial reasons, but now it is truly something that makes me happy,” she said. “I enjoy seeing everyone when they get their stuff and they take videos and they tag me on Instagram and Twitter.”
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Other students are reportedly raking in the dough through customer research, door-to-door sales and even reading tarot cards.
Campus Reform editor in chief Cabot Phillips said he’s seen a huge increase in students looking to make money by writing for campusreform.org and learning journalism. Phillips said his brother, a college student at Oregon State University, created his own junk removal business after being laid off from his job at Applebee’s Grill and Bar.
“That is capitalism,” he said. “That's the beauty of America… This is a great entryway for people in the next generation to realize that in America you have the freedom to start something. You don't have to sit around and wait for other people to give it to you. Hopefully, we can change people's minds about the beauty of the free market and the next generation."