Students as Freelancers
The growth of the Gig Economy continues and it is expected to maintain its trajectory throughout 2023. More people are turning to freelance work and an additional revenue stream to supplement their income. Is 2023 your year to join the Freelance movement?
Now that 2022 is coming to an end, we can agree that since the pandemic, students are increasingly interested in being part of the Gig Economy. According to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, nearly 70% of all college students work during their studies.
There are many advantages to freelancing as a student and it provides straightforward ways to earn money, there are also drawbacks. When you schedule time for work, you lose that time for other responsibilities. There may be less time for studying, which may have an impact on your performance or on the level of qualification attained. There’ll be less time for sleep, something that many students struggle with even when they don’t have a job.
The lack of social time will have the most notable consequence for working students. The demands of school and work will leave little time for social activities like club activities and hanging out with friends. If you’re thinking about finding a job, prioritise what you’d miss most and find a job that gives you time to do as much as possible. Moreover, working while you are a student exposes you to new duties, people, and customs which can be valuable when you enter employment. With time constraints, you may feel swamped by these because studying and working are two distinct phases of life. Managing both of them simultaneously is bound to call for more effort and focus.
Studies are crucial, but getting a taste of the working world can be beneficial as well. It’s tricky to strike a balance between the two, especially when one misstep can have far-reaching consequences in the academic world. Having a side hustle while still in school has advantages and risks but what matters is how you respond to the demands needed by the two.
