Student Entrepreneur: How to Balance College and Business
Attending college and running a business can seem like an impossible task. How can you keep up your grades, make money, and make the most of your college years without hitting burnout? It sounds impossible, but you can do it. Here’s how to balance college and business, and get the most out of both.
Make a schedule
The most important thing you’ll have to do is make a schedule. Make a list of what your priorities are, and create that schedule with these priorities in mind. Stick to the schedule, too. If you don’t, you can make life harder for yourself in the long run. Having a good schedule in place can help you get everything done, and still have a life.
Use the resources available to you
At university and college, you’ll find that there are actually many resources available to you. Don’t waste this opportunity, and make the most of them while you still can. For example, many colleges will hold competitions for young entrepreneurs, so take part in them, and you could make some new connections or some cash for your next venture. As well as this, many offer help to help you through the academic portions of your life. You can visit tutors to assist you or visit State Of Writing or other writing assistance sites to get help.
Take advantage of student discounts
Student discounts will help you get money off all kinds of things, which is great for day to day living. However, don’t forget that they can be used for equipment for your business, too. For example, you can get sizable discounts on essential software such as Microsoft Office, as well as computer equipment at certain times of the year. Make the most of them, and you can use them well after you graduate.
Listen to advice
You’re already halfway there, as you’re here reading this guide. However, seek out advice as you’ll still be new to the business, and there’ll be plenty available to you. Listen to what experts have to say, and act on the advice they give you. They’ve been in your position before, so you’ll be able to avoid many of the pitfalls that befell them in the past.
Learn to delegate
You’re busy enough as it is, so remember that you just can’t do everything. If you can, delegate tasks to others to help you free up some time. For example, you may not be able to handle all your assignments on top of your work commitments. When this happens, you can turn to writers at UK Top Writers and Best Australian Writers to help you get those assignments done on time. If you know who to delegate to, you can save a lot of time and avoid burnout.
Maintain your social life
No matter how busy you are, make sure that you’re setting some time aside to see your friends and get out and about. ‘I made sure that I got out and saw my friends at least once a week’ says graduate Jessica Vine. ‘I may have had to send my assignments to Write my essay to get them done, or stay up slightly later putting orders together the next day, but it was worth it.’ It helps you unwind, and as well as this, you can still network while you’re out and about.
Take some classes in your business
Who says your business and college have to stay totally separate? You may be taking a course that directly benefits you as a business, so take advantage of this. Take classes in subjects that will be helpful to you, either now or later. For example, if you’re in the business of creating websites, then take some classes in programming while you’re there. Take advantage of the opportunities while they’re available to you.
Talk to your professors
No good business person can make it on their own. It’s a good idea to talk to your professors and pick their brains about balancing both business and college. They’ll be glad to see that you’re applying what you learn in school to your business and that you’re already getting ahead by creating your own work opportunities. They can also connect you with others too, helping you network and find opportunities before you graduate.
Build a team
You’ll need help to get that business off the ground, and that goes double if you’re balancing school as well. The best thing to do is to build a good team around you that can take on specific tasks. The faster you can do this, the faster you can grow as a business and get ahead.
Use these tips to get started with college and business, and balance the two. It is possible to become a business owner while you’re still studying, so take advantage of the opportunities that are available to you.
Author Bio: Brenda Berg is a professional writer with over 15 years of experience in business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. A consultant and tutor for college students and entrepreneurs, Brenda believes that constant learning is the only way to success. She also blogs over at Let’s Go and Learn.
