STRUGGLES OF OOU 'STUDENTPRENEURS'

By Oluwakemi Peters

To be a student and an entrepreneur is a lot. School life is demanding enough, adding business headaches makes it tougher, but “money must be made.” Kudos to students running a business on campus, they all have a story to tell — struggle, sacrifice, and strength. From fighting fatigue, juggling deadlines and dreams, and giving up sleep. They constantly fight to keep academics and business running side by side. 

Everyone without a NEPO daddy and mummy knows how campus survival is unstable. To survive, some students are working with determination and passion. They are refusing to give up, though the path they walk is filled with challenges. 

One of the biggest ‘wahala’ studentpreneurs experience is finding balance between academics and business. Rushing to lectures, meeting deadlines, reading for tests and exams, and preparing for presentations, they still have to attend to customers and make deliveries mostly at the expense of their rest. 

"There are times I go directly from class to a client to make hair," says Eniola Ajibola, a 300-level performing arts student who works as a hairstylist. "I mostly complete the hair by night time, and I still have to get home to sort assignments, read, and partake in group meetings for the project. It is very exhausting, but the money I make helps me get a lot done in school."

Many of them struggle to manage their time, and this leaves them overly exhausted.

Maintaining customer relationships is another stressful part of running a business on campus. People, especially friends could be very funny at times or weird. Most of their customers are usually coursemates, friends, or roommates, and they (friends) often makes it difficult to separate friendship from business. Many expect special treatment, from discounts and freebies to postponing payments. Some delay paying entirely, assuming friendship means they settle whenever they want. 

"Some of my roommates expect me to always give discount prices just because we are friends, and we stay in the same hostel room," says Oluwatofunmi, a 300-level mass communication student who sells beauty products. "Some even get angry and buy elsewhere just because I refuse to give discount. I try my very best to communicate properly with them."

Dealing with such situations requires lots of maturity and clear communication. 

Beyond managing friends and family, another ‘wahala’ is the economy itself. Studentpreneurs are battling to sustain their ventures. Unstable price hikes and unpredictable markets make it nearly impossible to keep business running, making stability hard to achieve. 

"The cost at which products were as at last purchased isn't the same as it now, and  definitely the increase in price from main market will in turn affect the resell price for consumers," says Racheal Faronbi, a 300-level Psychology student who sells Fashion accessories on campus. 

"I need to keep my customers and sell my products. I can not overly charge just because I want to sell." She adds.

The unpredictable Nigerian market has forced many student entrepreneurs to constantly adjust and redesign how they run their businesses. Some are forced to buy in smaller quantities to reduce the risk of losses when market prices fluctuate. By limiting how much they restock at once, they can better manage their capital and avoid being stuck with overpriced goods when costs suddenly drop.

“I prefer restocking in minimum quantity, I can save money with that. Even if prices change, I can easily adjust without running into debt." Racheal added.

Stress and tiredness are another thing entirely. Balancing academics with business can be quite demanding and requires a lot of physical and mental input. Many stay up late creating content for their brands, packing orders, and missing out on class activities. Over time, the relentless pace of juggling academics and entrepreneurship results in fatigue, stress, and self-doubt.

"There are times I feel like quitting," says Eniola. "By the time I'm done making hair and sorting out class exercises, I'm overly exhausted and I barely have time for myself, but when I see the result of the hair I make and the way my customers are happy about it, that alone keeps me going."

Despite the struggles studentpreneurs experience, they still find the passion and purpose to keep pushing. As a student, the least we can do is to patronise our friends, respect their work and remind them their hustle is worth it.