RELATIONSHIP FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A NOVICE

SIDE HUSTLING AS A STUDENT

   After the publication of my first article, Making Good Use Of Your Time And Opportunities, I received a couple of question on how to build a network while in school, what to do as side jobs, how to balance academics and our side hustles. Someone even asked how I’m able to balance writing and studying, and all these questions led to this article.

   First of all, one thing I would like to point out that writing, for me, is not a side hustle but a hubby. Writing is like my way of staying sane, after a long day I pour all my emotions into writing, it’s never been work for me so far. Its just luck that doing something I love can bring in profit. So, within yourself decide if what you are doing is a job or hubby. I feel thinking of it as a hubby instead of a side hustle makes it easier. If you can make it an everyday activity after studying and finishing up everything that has to be done.

  How to build a network while in school? This is something that I’m not done studying but as usual I’ll share based on my little experience. Before you can build your network, you must first know the people that fall within the range of your network. You might want to be a writer but move with people that do photography. You need to know that it’s people that are into that job you want to do that you must connect and network with first. Mind you, I’m not saying that you can’t network with people that are not in your range, I’m saying you need to lay your foundation slowly and steadily because slow and steady wins the race. You don’t just rush into things feeling that the earlier the better, you need to relax, search, choose and then network. 

   We need to carefully think about the kind of people we want to walk and work with. Will they be of help? Will they make us give up on our dreams? That is why before we go into anything, we need to pray. I might write ten pages of advice for you, without God, they are just words. So why not just start with His supervision and guidance? You won’t regret it. Just move with people that have passed your level in that field, people that managed to do it and also do well in their in their academics. There are some people that decided to face that particular job and give very little attention to their academics, if you have chosen to give up on your studies, then go ahead and connect with those people but if you want to do well in both then look for people that are doing well in both, so you search, choose and then start networking.

   Secondly, what to do as a side job? I chose writing as my hubby because it’s quite flexible and comfortable for Mass Communication student and I can earn from it. Your reason might be different. it might be solely to earn. It might not be something that has to do with what you are studying, but let it be within your comfort zone if not then it should be flexible. You should be able to do it anytime and everywhere. You shouldn’t do something that makes you go all the way to another state, or makes you miss classes or tests. The moment it starts taking up more time than your academics, it’s no longer in your comfort zone, it is no longer flexible, no longer a hubby, but a job. 

   Thirdly, how to balance side hustles and academics? Honestly, I’m not in the right position to say much on this because I also just started my journey in the university but here I go. This is a problem everyone faces at one point. I feel it all has to do with setting priorities. At this time of our lives, we should be mature enough to know what is more important to us. Set a timetable, decide how long you want to spend studying and how long you want to spend on that job. As I progress with my studies, I’ll keep giving more points on this.

    Finally, how I’m able to balance writing and academics. As I had previously stated, I don’t think of writing as a job, it is my everyday life. It is actually part of my routine, so I don’t feel like I’m balancing anything. I can write anytime and anywhere. But I try to be careful not to spend too much time on it cause my academics is more important. In ten years, I’ll still be writing but in ten years I won’t be in the university, so I give more attention to academics because I know I have limited time.

   The ability to multi-task isn’t a superpower or a gift given to a special set of people. We all have it In us, we just need to access it. Which is why we need to pray. The bible says “ask and you shall be given”. So why not ask and be given. Let’s put God first and He will put us first. We will be able to do exploits because with God all things are possible.