Anyone who has grown up watching Hannah Montana would remember her enjoying the best of both worlds, albeit keeping the singing sensation life a secret. But it was always a wonder: how did she manage her packed schedule? Cut to reality, and many students are becoming adept at this balancing act.
Colleges are no longer just preparing students for jobs after graduation, but also guiding them towards career paths while studying. Across campuses, students are spending their evenings moonlighting as entrepreneurs.
Making of a side hustle
Sona Sherin J, a student of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, began crocheting at 14 simply because she was fascinated by yarn. “What started as a hobby gradually became a passion and eventually turned into a side business,” she notes. She launched her brand, Erinna Loops (@erinna_loops), in January 2026. Similarly, G Vani (@_gv_bakes) from Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai, turned her love for baking into a home bakery in 2025.
However, not every student venture begins with a passion. For Varshini Yogarajan (@clicksbyvarsh), a VIT Chennai student, choosing content creation was beyond that. Often finding herself at the receiving end of discriminatory comments from peers, she turned to social media to overcome her insecurities. She says, “I started it as an ego booster. But it turns out I genuinely love content creation.” Her online community has become her safety net with more than 4,000 followers.
Fashion student Deeksha Rathinasamy (deecloset.in) watched her brother successfully build his clothing brand, which encouraged her to launch her own, combining her interest in fashion, styling, and business.
A timetable for two lives
Building a brand and balancing lectures means every hour of the day is spent with a purpose.
Sona’s day begins at 6 am by checking messages and orders before heading to classes. In the evening, she studies and then settles with her crochet hook.
Deeksha’s syllabus seamlessly flows into her business. “I try to make the most of what I learn in my classes and assignments by applying it directly to my clothing brand. This helps me balance my academic learning,” she notes.
The camera clings to Varshini every weekend, reserved for filming reels and taking photographs. Weekdays belong to engineering classes.
For Vani, however, baking comes with a different obstacle. “When I get orders, I sometimes have to skip classes. It gets hectic, but I love it,” she says.
The challenges no one sees
While their social media pages might show the buzz of their business, it is not without challenges. Varshini admits that the challenge lies in visibility. “When I started three years ago, it was hashtags that pushed reels, but now it has all come down to SEO, so getting engagement on Instagram has become a challenge,” she explains.
But as anyone with a phone and a scant interest can become a content creator or entrepreneur, the biggest obstacle is online competition. “Everyone has a home bakery now. So, keeping up with the trends and building a loyal customer base is very important,” points out Vani.
In sectors like fashion that keep evolving every day, the challenge lies in marketing the brand and convincing the customer of what it stands for. “As a startup, it was difficult to make people aware of my brand and build a customer base,” says Deeksha, adding, “Even though the market is saturated, I focus on unique designs, quality, and understanding customer needs.”
When Sona began crocheting, the industry was a niche and finding quality yarn itself was a struggle. Materials had to be ordered online, delaying the entire project. Today, with more people taking up crochet as a hobby, the yarn is more easily available, making the process smoother. Her challenge is to stay relevant. Sona says, “I keep learning new techniques, experimenting with customised products, and staying updated with trends such as 3D crochet designs and crochet bouquets while maintaining my own style.”
Independence and support
This is not to deny that these side hustles have given them recognition and freedom. The financial aspect may not yet replace a full-time salary, but they say earning independently has changed their outlook.
“It showed me I don’t always have to depend on someone else to buy the things I need,” says Sona, who puts the money earned back into growing the business. Deeksha follows the same principle. As a creator, Varshini finds that her internship still pays more than Instagram collaborations, but the income gives her a sense of independence. “It has taught me the value of money, financial responsibility, and the importance of being independent.”
This balancing act seems impossible without support. Varshini’s younger sister often becomes her photographer. Deeksha credits her brother’s entrepreneurial journey for inspiring her. Sona built her business independently but believes access to mentorship, affordable materials, financial assistance, and skill-development programmes could have helped her to reach where she is now much sooner. Vani actively sought institutional support by joining her college’s entrepreneurship cell, which helped her put a stall at her college events, taught her marketing, and built a foundation for her to sell her products in a physical space elsewhere.
Acquiring academic skills while navigating the business world firsthand, these students are clear that they would continue pursuing their passions as side hustles.
As the world marks World Youth Skills Day today, their journeys reflect this year’s theme, ‘Skills for a Shared Future’, demonstrating that future-ready skills are developed not just in classrooms but also through every customer order, original design, and piece of content they create.
Thinking of starting your own side hustle? Here’s what these students say
Sona Sherin J: Start with something you genuinely enjoy. Believe in yourself, stay consistent, and trust the process.
Varshini Yogarajan: Start now. Do it for yourself. Grow for yourself.
Deeksha Rathinasamy: Take small steps. Research your market, understand your customers, and don’t fear mistakes.
G Vani: Start with an idea, then you can improvise.