How to Escape the 9-5 Rat Race While You’re Attending College

Your alarm goes off once again.

You can’t hit the snooze button one more time. If you do, you know you will be late for work.

You struggle to jump out of bed, take your time dressing yourself and drive slow on the way to work. But you get stuck in traffic with all of the other folks just like you.

It’s not a happy place. It’s called the rat race. In better terms, the 9-5 rat race.

It’s a common thing in the world nowadays, but many folks are trying to escape. Some do it late in life and others are lucky to do it early.

If you’re currently in college, I’m going to show you how to escape the 9-5 rat race before you even enter it.

Learn How to Save Money

Money isn’t hard to obtain. You just have to know what to do with it when you do.

Saving money is crucial to having money.

Financial experts will tell you to save an x amount from each paycheck which will then build over time. But if you’re starting out, start small.

Save 5% of your paycheck each time. Raise the value over time too, and before you know it, you will have a nice little stack of cash.

One of my favorite ways to save money is setting aside every $5 bill I come across. When I do so, the stack builds up instantly snd my discipline to not spend money on stupid items increases too.

I’ve used this method for years, and it especially helps in college. I would rather save $5 more than drink one beer.

Wouldn’t you?

Start Your Side Hustle

Side hustles are becoming so common nowadays. You just have to find the one perfect for you.

You could:

• Sell items on eBay
• Freelance write
• Have an e-commerce store
• Host a YouTube channel
• And so much more

A side hustle done well means extra income. And extra income means one step closer to escaping the 9-5 rat race.

I have a few side hustles right now and I love it. The more streams of income we all have, the better.

You just have to find the one that works for you, especially during your college years.

Invest in the Stock Market

I should’ve started investing in the stock market long before I actually did. The start date for me was a few days before 2022 arrived.

And things have been looking up since.

I’m using only Robinhood for now and it’s been great for me so far. I invest a little bit with fractional in companies like:

• McDonald’s
• Apple
• Tesla
• Coca-Cola
• And so much more.

So far, I’ve only invested a little bit and have earned a few dollars too. It’s not much but it’s a gradual process, one we all should start now, especially if you’re in college.

When you develop the habit of investing in the stock market, you build your money over time. You won’t get rich quick with it, but the sooner you start, the better off you’ll be.

Think about it like this:

1. Use some of your salary to invest.
2. Use your investments make passive income.
3. Live off of the passive income and thus quit the rat race

It’s so simple. We just have to take the first step.

Learn to Live Frugally

Working for money is hard, but living frugllay to save money is much more difficult. But it’s not impossible.

Here are ways you can live frugally:

• Use coupons at the grocery store
• Make your own coffee at home
• Keep the same pair of shoes
• Cancel unused subscriptions
• And so much more.

All of these little habits will accumulate over time and help you save money. In the process, you will be one step forward to escaping the 9-5 rat race.

It’s a sacrifice but the end goal when reached will be beautiful.

Keep a Positive Mindset

Life is difficult.

But it’s only as hard as we make it out to be. It’s all because of our mind set.

If we continue to think negative thoughts, we will continue to view life in a negative way and keep living the same day over and over again.

If you truly want to escape the 9-5 rat race, you have to believe you can. When you believe in yourself, even when no one else does, you’ll be invincible.

You’ll feel like you’re on top of the word.

Before you know it, you will be too. You just have to have the faith and positive and mindset behind your actions.

Closing Thoughts

Escaping the 9-5 rat race is difficult to do, but it’s not impossible. It’s happened every single day to common people like you.

So what are you waiting for?

If you’re in college now, this is the perfect time to start. If you’re old or even younger than that age range, it’s better to start now than never.

I know you want to escape the 9-5 rat race. I know I do.

Are you ready to take the first step?