How to Survive College as a Sneakerhead
College is already tough enough, but being in college with a sneaker addiction? It’s nearly impossible; trust me, I know. As a college student, I did all that I could to maintain my sneaker collection while getting an education, so when it comes to both storage and funding said collection, I’ve got you covered.
Storage
Dorm rooms are notoriously small, so making the most of your space is crucial. Vertical square footage is your best friend. If you can loft your bed, I highly recommend doing that. It doesn’t even have to be fully raised to the point you could put a desk or couch underneath it. My bed this year was partially lofted, and I had enough room to put a short dresser, my trumpet, a laundry bag, and yes, my shoes under it without it being too high for me.
Now that you have a “where”, you need to have a “how”, as in “how are you going to store your shoes?” Bins are a thought, and if you have the under-bed space (not to mention the capital) go for it. My personal tactic, however, were shoe racks, especially stacked. Stackable shoe racks are great because they hold a good number of shoes, they help you take advantage of that vertical square footage, and they’re pretty cheap. I got a total of four for about $40 from Ikea last year. The shoes that didn’t fit on the rack either remained on the floor under the bed or were placed in the closet. A side note: stacking shoe racks on your closet floor is also a good idea.
Funding
College students are also notoriously poor. I am no exception. My collection isn’t as extensive as a lot of sneakerheads, so I don’t spend as much money, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to fund a sneaker addiction.
Work Part-time
The obvious answer is to find a job, but there are a couple ways you could go about that. For starters, you could take the standard route of getting a part-time job at a coffee shop or tutoring or something else along those lines. That’s totally fine; I worked at the coffee shop on campus, so don’t be afraid to ask around. But if the normal route doesn’t sit right with you, then there are other options.
Psych Studies
Still related to being on campus (sorry if you’re reading this in quarantine), something else I did to make some quick cash were psychology studies. Check out your school’s Psych department (or that of a local school if you don’t have one, sometimes they don’t care if you’re a student or not) and see if they need people for a study. A lot of times they’re quick surveys or questionnaires, and they can pay $10-$20 a study. For an hour or so of work, that’s not bad.
Reselling
Next, seeing as you’re a sneakerhead and know a lot about shoes, you could get into the resell business. I personally haven’t had the opportunity to capitalize on this as shipping can be a bit tricky in college, but if you can get the hang of it (or if you live off-campus or have a different location to send and receive packages like a friends house), you could make good money. Side note: this is not exclusive to shoes, by the way. You can resell tons of items like clothes, electronics, and more. As long as you can make a profit buying low and selling high, then you can sell anything.
Shoe Cleaning
You could also get into the sneaker cleaning business to make some money. You could either buy old shoes, clean them, and resell them, or just clean shoes that people already own. The days following frat parties or large sporting events can be a goldmine in my experience because when shoes get scuffed dancing or beer spills on a pair of fresh kicks, you can swoop in later on and save the day.
Sell Your Own Shoes
Finally, if you’re pressed on cash and just have to have a specific pair of shoes, you can sell shoes straight from your collection if you’re willing. I know it can be hard to part with your shoes, so this isn’t for everyone, but if you can stand to do it, then you could make some quick cash. Hopefully it’s enough to buy a new pair and fill the sadness in your heart.
The Final Option
When it comes down to it, the best thing you can do for your sneaker collection is to take a break. Seriously, college is not a good time to be sneakerhead. I had to leave a lot of pairs at home, and honestly, I should have left more. It’s not like I wore most of the shoes in my rotation because I was scared to ruin them and the weather in Chicago (where I go to school) is not great for sneakers. Winter ruins shoes, and that was something I do not have to deal with in my hometown of Atlanta, where you might only get rain. It’s ok if you slow your roll, at least during the school year. College is temporary, and your shoes will be with you when you’re ready.
