What skills are key to helping you make money? Here are a few skills that you should acquire now while you have the opportunity to take classes as a University student.

Although we think that we’re busy in college, we actually have a lot more free time than you think. School isn’t for seven full hours a day like it is in High School. I average only about three and a half hours of classes per day. We also have summer break, winter Break, spring Break, etc. These are luxuries that you won’t have when you start a 9-5 job.

So why don’t we use this time wisely? Isn’t it time to put a few new skills in your repertoire? Here are five skills that you can learn while you’re in college.

1) Public Speaking/Communication – Public speaking and communication in general is a crucial skill for just about anything. Early on I recognized that a person’s ability to communicate is very important and this is why I decided to major in communications. Besides your professional life, learning how to communicate also helps you with other aspects of your life such as dating and making friends.

2) Mathematics – Math? Blah! That is all useless  right? Wrong. Math teaches problem solving and having math skills equates to being able to solve real life problems. You probably thought that you’d never use Calculus. Maybe true. But what you did learn from studying Calculus was how to look at a complex problem and figuring out the best way to solve it. If you’re looking to be an engineer of some sort then your math skills will directly affect your earning potential. There is a also a strong correlation between IQ and mathematical advancement.

3) Art – Any form of art. Painting, graphic design, dance, music. Having artistic skills is very important in this time and age. Go out and learn something if you don’t have any previous skills. If you do have some skills, learn how to develop them. There is a huge industry out there for the great artists, and if you can be one you can assure yourself financial success. Just look at Susan Boyle. Once a nobody, now she’s a celebrity because she can sing.

4) Business – The professional aspects of being a skilled businessman are obvious, but there are some other benefits even if you’re not looking to seek a career in the business field. You’ll learn about the economy, how to manage your money, how to get the most out of your tax refund. These are all skills you’ll need to maximize your earning potential. Learning basic business skills also gives you several career paths that you could potentially follow.

5) Reading/Writing – It’s a basic skill but learning how to effectively and comprehensively read a text in the shortest amount of time will be great for your future career. Learn how to speed read without losing comprehension ability also is a great way to shorten the amount of time you need to study for college classes. Reading also increases brain capacity and enhances creativity. In a world where many ideas are already thought of, you need to strive to be better than the rest in order to succeed.

Like reading, effective writing skills are important for anyone to have. If you know how to write you could even profit big time from writing a blog like I have in the past. Or you could be the next JK Rowling. It is also essential for college papers. Learn how to write and you will succeed.