OPINION: USF students, it’s time to invest in your future through stocks

*The best way for students to invest in their future is through the use of stocks. ORACLE GRAPHIC/ CAMILLE GRALL*

College students would agree that a good portion of their money goes to sweet treats – whether it’s iced coffee, boba or ice cream.

Well, unless money grows on trees, that $5 iced vanilla oat milk latte begins to add up.

I happen to have a one-word solution for you – stocks.

Through investing you are not only able to make some money to help supply your next sweet treat, but it also allows you to prepare for your financial future.

It’s clear that investing is a very broad topic which may be intimidating to some. However, I’ve been into it for two years now and I can promise anyone can do it.

I decided to start investing because I wanted to learn more about finances and how to better prepare for my future. It’s also a great way to connect with family members and other college students.

“The more financially proficient you are, the more likely you’re going to have a higher chance at getting a job,” said Martina Schmidt, an expert in financial education and USF professor.

Being financially knowledgeable will show employers that you possess valuable skills, such as wise spending habits and effective management.

Trading also allows students to learn how to plan for their financial future – starting with a retirement fund.

The best way to do this is through long-term trading, where you invest into a stock and leave it to build over a long period of time, Schmidt said.

And I get it, classes are stressful, so I can imagine that your future retirement plan is not on the top of your list. Luckily with the long-term method, you won’t have to dedicate copious amounts of time.

If you choose long-term trading, you will also have extra time to try the short-term trading strategies – when you invest in a stock and plan to trade it the same day or after a couple days or weeks.

Investing in individual stocks rather than using long-term trading may require that you dedicate more time to research, which will in turn increase your financial knowledge and vocabulary.

For those wanting to invest, but don’t know how to start: first decide the platform that you will use.

The platform you choose depends on what is most convenient for you and your trading style – whether that is day trading, swing trading or long-term trading. Choosing the right one might make the experience seem less daunting.

If you are interested in looking into stocks as more than just a fun practice, then day trading and swing trading may be your preferred styles.

Day trading refers to buying and trading a stock the same day to make some profit while swing trading is the same but is done over a span of days or even weeks. Both styles are known to be risky and require extensive research to ensure you buy and trade at the right times.

A platform that is helpful for investors is Stock Twits. This app provides countless information regarding specific stocks which may help in your research when deciding what stock is best for you.

One account that is helpful on this platform is @HaltTradeAlert. It provides updates on halts – a pause in the ability to trade a stock. This will give you insight as to whether it is appropriate to buy or sell a specific stock at a certain time.

Whether it’s a hobby or a true passion of yours, it’s safe to say it is effective for students to learn how to invest in stocks.

Don’t you want to live your best “Wolf on Wall Street” life?