For some people nothing compares to the experience of living at college for four years. What could be better than having the library, the gym and the dining hall right at your fingertips? Not to mention being able to get together with your friends every Thursday night to watch Grey’s Anatomy in the lounge or being able to roll out of bed on Friday mornings and go to class in your sweatpants. I would not trade in my four years on campus for anything, but financially living at school was a stretch for me.

After federal loans, private student loans, scholarships and grant options are exhausted many students still struggle to afford campus living. I know I did, but I was determined to make it work. I found out that there are other ways to earn money and living expenses through campus jobs and leadership opportunities.

During my sophomore year in college I applied to become a Resident Assistant. I found out that RAs have the sweetest financial deal on campus. Every school has different benefits for their RAs, but at my school our room and board expenses, including meal plan, were covered and we had single rooms. During my senior year I even had a room with its own bathroom! Some students would never even consider this option because they think that being an RA and having a campus social life are mutually exclusive. This was not true for me however. Although there were some long nights of duty and the occasional need to be the “bad guy” the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. Some of my best friends from college are people I met through the RA program. Being an RA allowed me to connect with more students and faculty members than I otherwise would have. It also gave me the opportunity to make a huge impact on campus.

If you do not think that being a resident assistant would suite you there are similar opportunities out there.

You are probably still looking for creative ways to help pay for college and live on campus. If you have completely ruled out the resident assistant idea there may be other on campus leadership opportunities at your school that offer financial benefits. At my school many of the student government leaders received a stipend for their service. These people were elected student body representatives who put tens of hours every week into weekend programming, implementing change at student senate meetings, and balancing class and committee budgets. A lot of schools even offer financial benefits to their orientation leaders; students who volunteer or are chosen to help first year student make the transition to college life.

Another way to earn extra money in college is to take advantage of work study programs. Many students receive this grant as part of their overall financial aid package, but there are also jobs for students who do not receive it as part of a package. This is the issue of Federal vs. Non-Federal Work-Study. The truth is that work study is an easy way to earn extra spending money or shave dollars off of your tuition. Almost every department on campus employs student workers including the athletic department, admissions office, alumni affairs, conference services and the financial aid office. Chances are you will be able to find a job that meets your interests and gives you extra money to go to the movies, put gas in your car and make a late-night Wendy’s run.

The moral of the story is that where there is a will there is a way. Yes, living on campus is financially difficult, but there are plenty of ways to defray your expenses and still enjoy the sleeping until 11:00am and eating midnight pizza life of a normal college student.