Jack of all trades..hscp #12.

Not many students are fortunate enough to have rich families, relatives and sponsors, who assist them while they are in school. Some students had to undertake several side jobs just to be able to raise money needed for their handouts, pay bills and use for upkeep.

It is not as if the students in this category can't relay their financial struggles to their parents; rather, knowing the kind of home they are from and not wanting to add more burden on their parents, they keep quiet and silently bear all that school life threw their way. It was their form of filial piety.

I consider myself privileged to be within this category of students with no rich sponsor for my education. My parents were well to do and could afford to send me money if I asked but it was my sole choice to not bother them every now and then. Especially with four younger siblings and a few extended relatives living with us at that time.

This led me into searching for a side hustle to earn extra income and luckily for me, I had streams of connections. The first side hustle I embarked on was selling of plantain and potato chips and chin chin.

I actually had a family friend whose aunt made these. I went to her and told her of my plans to begin selling snacks in school and she was really happy. I started collecting her chips in packs that contained 12pcs of chips each.

I would sell and send her capital to her while I kept the profit for myself. That was our agreement from the start. The chips sold effortlessly to my surprise. This lasted for about three semesters until this lady got married and relocated.

I didn't give up. Maybe it's because the profit making was intoxicating or probably that I just loved the feeling of being a “business lady”. Well, whichever it was, I found myself scouting for something else to hop onto. Soon, another side hustle came my way and I grabbed it well. That side hustle involved selling under garments for men and women.

Now with this side hustle, I didn't quite find it easy. Many female students bought panties on credit and would pay in installments. Some male students hardly bought their underwear except for special occasions in school. I wonder how they coped with managing a few underwear for a semester, hehe.

I had to abandon this side hustle when the debts ate deep into my capital and I could no longer buy goods from the market. Later, I got a gig to tutor a child privately. I liked this gig a lot since it was in line with what I was studying. This side hustle involved me spending only two hours of my time on chosen days to teach a kid in primary school.

This was a side hustle I engaged in for years even after I was through with school. I guess this was the training I needed in my chosen field of study.

So far with these side hustles, I learnt resilience, patience , endurance and management. School life was tough but fun and I don't regret a thing.

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Thank you all for reading.💞💞💞

I am inviting @faithwellington, @oluwa-tosin and @kingsleyy to join in.

Images used are mine.

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