College students are notorious for two things: being slammed with loads of homework and not having enough money for luxury spending.
While enrolled in a minimum of 12 course credits, students also have campus involvements to fulfill and homework to be done, which leaves little room for flexibility in scheduled shifts to work and earn money.
However, clever collegiate students are discovering plasma donation to be one of the newest yet effective ways to earn a fast and easy paycheck in their busy schedules.
I believe that donating plasma is not only a spectacular option for a monetary income, but also a medical advantage to the community.
Plasma donations are set up based on the participants’ schedule, which accommodates students’ busy lives.
A majority of the appointments usually last between an hour to an hour and a half long, while leaving plenty of time left in the day to catch up on various upcoming assignments.
Headshot of senior Madelyn Yale.
Madelyn Yale|Marlin Chronicle
Plasma donations are collected by taking blood through an IV and separating the plasma, which is a liquid portion of the blood that helps us fight infections and carry nutrients throughout the body. One common concern that may arise for some is whether it is ethical to get payment for selling a part of their body.
However, the plasma that is extracted is then used in medical treatments and for creating new medicines for life-threatening diseases, thus creating opportunities for students to also play a big role in the community by helping with their donations while being compensated for their time.
When simplifying the means of this activity, it involves the student to only have to attend two donation sessions a week and earn up to $500 each month following the donations. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t make sense to not take part in this revolutionary alternative for gaining money.
On the other hand, there are speculations on how destructive this process can be to the young adult body. In such a chaotic part of a student’s life, it is important to upkeep our health to ensure optimal performance in all aspects of our day-to-day lives.
With the rigorous measurements taken before the donation, it is important for the company to ensure you are capable of completing the appointment before it is taken. This step is taken before each and every appointment to ensure participants safety.
In addition, every appointment also requires that each patient be questioned as to whether they have properly taken care of themselves prior to the scheduled time. This may include proper meals, hydration, vitamin intake and well-rested nights.
The repetition of the same intake measurements and questions can be seen as an advantage to college students by calling attention to their health they might not normally think of.
It is common for busy students to neglect punctual sleep and meal time during their busy day. By keeping up with their regular appointments they are reminded to take care of their health as well as their grades.
Through adequate research and personalized health decisions, plasma donations could be the token for luxury-spending money that college students have been looking for.
Madelyn Yale is a senior majoring in Biology. She enjoys going to the beach and spending her free time with friends. Madelyn can be reached at mgyale@vwu.edu.
By Madelyn Yale
mgyale@vwu.edu
