Between classes, studying and extracurriculars, students often don’t have enough hours in the day for a part-time job. As a result, many have turned to side hustles as a way to earn extra money while maintaining the flexibility needed for a college schedule.

One increasingly popular option is renting out clothing. Whether through Instagram rental accounts or an up-and-coming rental app called Pickle, clothing rentals can range anywhere from $20 to $300 per item. 

TailoredTCU, a student-run rental account, offers dresses and outfits for events like formals and game days on Instagram. The account is one of several run by students who rent out their closets to help peers save money and reduce waste from fast fashion. (Courtesy of @tailoredtcu on Instagram)

For other students, side hustles have grown from their creative interests and hobbies.

Senior finance majors, Brennan Chumo and Drew Chansolme, have capitalized on their love of music by starting a band. 

Both students grew up playing instruments, and after seeing other cover bands perform around campus, they were inspired to start one of their own. They recruited members from their fraternity, Kappa Sigma, and within a few weeks, the Landrunners were born. For each event they perform at, the band charges $500. 

“It can definitely get difficult at times to find time to practice with five people who are on different schedules,” Chumo said. “But I think that at the end of the day, we have enough fun doing it where we think it’s worth it.”

Chumo said TCU is an ideal campus for a college band because it’s not nearly as competitive as other schools. 

“People who are actively trying to play a bunch of gigs could find them no problem at TCU, because it’s not an overly filled market of college kids doing bands,” Chumo said. 

The Landrunners can be found on Instagram and are open to bookings. 

For junior fashion merchandising major Lexi Knotts, a side hustle grew from something she initially considered a hobby.

Knotts originally had no intent of creating a business. She simply enjoyed making custom game-day stickers for her family and friends. However, after receiving numerous requests from other students, she decided to capitalize on the demand.

Lexi Knotts wears her custom game-day buttons. (Courtesy of Lexi Knotts)

This prompted Knotts to create @lexik.designs, an Instagram account for custom game-day stickers and buttons.

“I love having it as a creative outlet. It gives me something fun to do when I’m done with classes and homework,” Knotts said. “And yes, balancing both can definitely get busy fast, but I’ve learned to plan ahead and set deadlines for orders so it stays something I love.”

 These side hustles allow students to make their own schedules while still making money doing something they love.

While part-time jobs may work for some students, others have found ways to turn the things they once considered hobbies into sources of income.