The Best Side Hustle For Students
And The All Possible Types Of It
Are you a student?
And if by any chance you are also having financial issues and difficulties, then this article is for you.
I will be direct. You won’t get any get-rich-quick scheme here, but you won’t also get simplistic advice such as finding a 2nd job or becoming a freelancer. I truly think that the option presented in this article is extremely realistic, simple, attainable, and is present in every research university.
So if you stay with me till this point, let me introduce you to lab experiments and research contributions at your university or anywhere online.
If after I said lab experiment, the first thing that you have imagined is this:
Then you are partially right, but not completely.
Participation in research is usually guaranteed in research credits or money (with a typical amount of $10-$15, but sometimes going up to $120)
What makes that side hustle so good is:
- You do not sign any contract, your participation is voluntary.
No one can force you to go there. It is absolutely up to you which SIGNIFICANTLY fits in your hectic university life.
2. Looking for a break from studies, and you are on campus? Sign up for a project.
If this is a pure survey for which you usually get $10-$15, you will get done with it in 30–35 minutes, which is already better than the usual hourly wage of the student.
So, to sum it up, it doesn’t take a lot of time, and it is extremely flexible in your schedule. For those reasons, I already believe that this might be one of the best university side hustles on the side.
But it is important to know what those experiments/contributions are.
Through my experience of 35 experiments, here are all the types I have identified:
1. Survey ($3-$10) takes from 30 minutes to 1hr
2. Survey + Eye Scanner ($8-$20) takes from 30 minutes to 1hr
3. Tasks On Computer ($8-$20) takes from 30 minutes to 1hr
4. Tasks + Eye Scanner ($15-$30) takes from 30 minutes to 1hr
5. Tasks With EEG ($25-$50) takes from 1hr to 2hrs
6. Survey With EEG ($25-$40) takes from 1hr to 1.5hr
7. Tasks In Virtual Reality ($10-$20) takes from 15 minutes to 30 minutes
8. Tasks In Real Life ($60+) takes from 5 days to 4 weeks to finish task
- Survey;
Usually, a simple computer-based survey may take up from 10 to 1 hour max, but the more it takes, the more $ you get.
2. Survey + Eye Scanner;
Mostly the same procedure, however now with the usage of Eye Scanner. To be brief, an Eye Scanner is something that helps researchers understand are you paying attention to the task or not.
Does it affect you in any way? No, you still do your task peacefully. The only time you will be aware of the presence of the Eye Scanner is when it is being calibrated. During this process, you will need to focus your gaze on a set of dots for approximately one minute.
3. Tasks On Computer;
What do I mean by tasks? It depends. It may be some IQ puzzles, or a necessity to find some type of pattern, and it already depends on a researcher, but usually, it is those things. Keep in mind, even if you perform poorly, you will still get paid.
4. Tasks + Eye Scanner;
Same thing as before, but now you are also being measured on how much you are paying attention.
5 & 6. Tasks/Surveys with EEG;
Remember the first scary image with plenty of electrodes? Yep, it is this one.
EEG or Electroencephalogram is basically a tool for researchers to take a photo of your brain, I know I make it sound a bit more regular than it is, but this is actually it. It is important to mention that this one usually pays a lot, because of how time-consuming it is to set the whole thing, but there is nothing dangerous for you.
One drawback of using EEG is that you need to wash your hair afterwards. However, labs and researchers typically provide access to showers and shampoo, so there’s no need to worry.
7. Tasks In VR;
Probably the most fun one is the Virtual Reality. What is required of you is just to wear the VR glasses and do some tasks, and that’s it. Usually, it is some riddle or a game.
8. Tasks In Real Life;
And the last one, the most profitable, but the most time-consuming, is tasks in real life.
Why? Well, when I say “tasks in real life,” I’m referring to incorporating certain aspects of the research into your daily routine. Whether this may be wearing a sleep-measuring bracelet, consistently going to the gym for a month, or simply watching some videos, these tasks pay A LOT.
To get you a better idea of what I was getting in my past month, here are some results:
By participating in 11 diverse experiments, I earned up to $250, which is more than enough as a side hustle to make some extra cash.
If you think that this sounds interesting, and you would love to give it a shot, then google your university and add the lab or research to it. If nothing has popped up, then just search for local research contributions. (most of them are surveys)
Nowadays, plenty of companies love to collect data about people’s attitudes towards their brand and pay $7-$10 for a 10–15-minute survey.
I hope this helps, and that you found it an interesting read. If yes, then share it with your fellow students and get richer together.
Keep an eye on this publication, as I have more and more hacks for you :)
