The Trend of university Student Entrepreneurship: Growth or Life Pressure?

More and more university students are starting their own businesses in their spare time. From running online stores and providing skills services to photography design and digital creative services, student entrepreneurship activities have gradually become a common phenomenon on campus.

With the rapid development of digital media, the threshold for entrepreneurship is constantly decreasing, which has prompted many students to gain additional income by leveraging their skills and expertise, while also accumulating social experience.

For many university students, the most direct reason for starting a business is economic issues. As the cost of living continues to rise, some students hope to alleviate their family burden and earn more pocket money through part-time jobs or entrepreneurship.

 Taylor's University hotel management student Li Xinyi said that she started running an online private kitchen studio since her freshman year, initially driven by her love for cooking and desire to earn some pocket money.

"Now the cost of studying abroad in Malaysia is getting higher and higher, especially for accommodation. I don’t want to keep asking my parents for money, so I’ve started turning my hobbies into a source of income," she said.

Apart from economic factors, many students believe that entrepreneurship helps them accumulate practical experience needed for future employment. Compared to traditional part-time jobs, starting a business offers students more opportunities to acquire hands-on skills such as marketing, customer communication, and financial management.

Wang Junjie, a student majoring in Digital Media at Taylor's University, has been running a photography appointment service for one year. He stated that entrepreneurship not only allows him to earn income, but also helps him establish a portfolio.

“What I learn in class is theoretical knowledge, but when facing clients, I need to solve many practical problems. Entrepreneurship allows me to get in touch with society in advance and also helps me better understand my career direction, "he said.

However, striking a balance between academics and entrepreneurship is not easy. Many students have expressed that they need to use their spare time to process orders, respond to customers, and promote, sometimes even affecting their learning progress.

Li admitted that during the exam week, she stayed up late to work due to rushing orders, and sometimes had to cancel some orders.

“I feel a lot of pressure during peak order periods. If the schedule is not arranged properly, it is easy to betray the trust of customers, "she said.

In addition to time management issues, there are also challenges in the entrepreneurial process such as fierce market competition, unstable customer sources, and insufficient funds. For most student entrepreneurs, the biggest challenge is sometimes not the product itself, but how to continuously attract customers to repurchase.

Fei Jiaqi, a Master of Communication from Taylor's University, runs a nail art studio from home. Contrary to what many people imagine, she believes that the biggest challenge in the entrepreneurial process is not learning technology, but how to keep existing customers coming back as customers.

Many customers may not come back for several months after completing a manicure, or they may choose to try other nail technicians, "she said. In order to improve customer repurchase rates, she regularly updates her style designs and shares her works on social media to stay in touch with customers. She also gives small gifts during holidays to increase customer loyalty.

Nevertheless, there is still an issue of unstable customer numbers. Fei said that compared to large nail salons, student entrepreneurs lack a fixed customer base and promotional resources, so they need to spend more time building reputation and trust. Getting a manicure is not just a technical issue, but more importantly, it makes customers willing to come back again, "she said.

Despite facing various challenges, many students still believe that entrepreneurship is a valuable experience. They not only earn income, but more importantly, learn to think independently, solve problems, and take responsibility.

In the Understanding Entrepreneurship course at Taylor's University, entrepreneurship related courses point out that entrepreneurship can not only help students earn income, but also cultivate communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and business thinking.

With the continuous development of the digital economy, the phenomenon of student entrepreneurship is expected to continue to grow. For contemporary college students, entrepreneurship is not only a way to make money, but also an important way to cultivate abilities and explore future career development.

More and more university students are starting their own businesses in their spare time. From running online stores and providing skills services to photography design and digital creative services, student entrepreneurship activities have gradually become a common phenomenon on campus.

With the rapid development of digital media, the threshold for entrepreneurship is constantly decreasing, which has prompted many students to gain additional income by leveraging their skills and expertise, while also accumulating social experience.

For many university students, the most direct reason for starting a business is economic issues. As the cost of living continues to rise, some students hope to alleviate their family burden and earn more pocket money through part-time jobs or entrepreneurship.

 Taylor's University hotel management student Li Xinyi said that she started running an online private kitchen studio since her freshman year, initially driven by her love for cooking and desire to earn some pocket money.

"Now the cost of studying abroad in Malaysia is getting higher and higher, especially for accommodation. I don’t want to keep asking my parents for money, so I’ve started turning my hobbies into a source of income," she said.

Apart from economic factors, many students believe that entrepreneurship helps them accumulate practical experience needed for future employment. Compared to traditional part-time jobs, starting a business offers students more opportunities to acquire hands-on skills such as marketing, customer communication, and financial management.

Wang Junjie, a student majoring in Digital Media at Taylor's University, has been running a photography appointment service for one year. He stated that entrepreneurship not only allows him to earn income, but also helps him establish a portfolio.

“What I learn in class is theoretical knowledge, but when facing clients, I need to solve many practical problems. Entrepreneurship allows me to get in touch with society in advance and also helps me better understand my career direction, "he said.

However, striking a balance between academics and entrepreneurship is not easy. Many students have expressed that they need to use their spare time to process orders, respond to customers, and promote, sometimes even affecting their learning progress.

Li admitted that during the exam week, she stayed up late to work due to rushing orders, and sometimes had to cancel some orders.

“I feel a lot of pressure during peak order periods. If the schedule is not arranged properly, it is easy to betray the trust of customers, "she said.

In addition to time management issues, there are also challenges in the entrepreneurial process such as fierce market competition, unstable customer sources, and insufficient funds. For most student entrepreneurs, the biggest challenge is sometimes not the product itself, but how to continuously attract customers to repurchase.

Fei Jiaqi, a Master of Communication from Taylor's University, runs a nail art studio from home. Contrary to what many people imagine, she believes that the biggest challenge in the entrepreneurial process is not learning technology, but how to keep existing customers coming back as customers.

Many customers may not come back for several months after completing a manicure, or they may choose to try other nail technicians, "she said. In order to improve customer repurchase rates, she regularly updates her style designs and shares her works on social media to stay in touch with customers. She also gives small gifts during holidays to increase customer loyalty.

Nevertheless, there is still an issue of unstable customer numbers. Fei said that compared to large nail salons, student entrepreneurs lack a fixed customer base and promotional resources, so they need to spend more time building reputation and trust. Getting a manicure is not just a technical issue, but more importantly, it makes customers willing to come back again, "she said.

Despite facing various challenges, many students still believe that entrepreneurship is a valuable experience. They not only earn income, but more importantly, learn to think independently, solve problems, and take responsibility.

In the Understanding Entrepreneurship course at Taylor's University, entrepreneurship related courses point out that entrepreneurship can not only help students earn income, but also cultivate communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and business thinking.

With the continuous development of the digital economy, the phenomenon of student entrepreneurship is expected to continue to grow. For contemporary college students, entrepreneurship is not only a way to make money, but also an important way to cultivate abilities and explore future career development.