Using depression as motivation: How students supported themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic by online earning

During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities, colleges, and schools in Bangladesh postponed in-person lessons due to concerns about the potential for virus spread. The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh authorized public and private universities to shift instructional sessions online to continue education during this crisis. This sudden transition to online learning has brought about unresolved issues but also presented an opportunity for students to engage in extracurricular activities alongside their academic commitments. This study aims to explore how university students cope with this crisis and alleviate their anxiety through online income generation. This study adopts a quantitative research approach, involving 338 students from Noakhali Science and Technology University in Bangladesh. Data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire. Survey results indicated that, during the pandemic, 50.6% of students engaged in part-time jobs for income generation due to the online class mode. These part-time activities mainly included web design/software development, content writing, graphic design, digital marketing, and translation services. Most students spent less than two hours on these part-time jobs, and the majority reported a monthly income of $50-100. Furthermore, the study found that the involvement in part-time income generation did not have a negative impact on the CGPA (result) of most respondents. The findings of this study are expected to positively influence students’ self-reliance and career paths, as they learn to navigate and adapt to the challenges presented by the pandemic.