For most people, the term "side hustle" probably brings to mind something they started in college or after landing their first job. But for me, and probably for many other village kids born in the early 2000s, side hustles started way earlier, back in elementary school. It wasn't because we were forced into it, but more of a cultural thing among village kids who loved finding creative (and sometimes pretty random) ways to earn their own pocket money.
Here are a few stories from my very first side hustles back in elementary school, complete with the wins, the losses, and the unexpected life lessons that came along with them.
Hunting for Scrap Metal After School
One of my very first "businesses" was collecting scrap and recyclable items together with friends from my village. After school, we'd walk around the neighborhood with a magnet in hand, searching for used plastic bottles and scraps of metal lying around.
We could trade these items for toys or cash to buy snacks. It sounds simple, but it was genuinely fun, there was a small thrill every time we found a heavy piece of old metal, because that meant a bigger "payday" for the day.
Selling Banana Leaves (and Getting Scolded For It)
Not every venture went smoothly. One day, a friend invited me to sell banana leaves. The idea was simple: pick banana leaves and sell them to people who needed them for wrapping food or other purposes.
The problem was, we just took the leaves without asking permission from the owner. Unsurprisingly, we ended up getting scolded by the owner of the banana trees. That experience taught me a small but important lesson: no matter how tiny the business, asking for permission and respecting other people's property still matters.
Selling Drawings That Actually Lost Money
I also tried selling drawings I made myself. It sounded cool at the time, a kid selling his own artwork. But when I actually did the math, the markers and pastels I used to make the drawings cost more than what I could sell the drawings for.
The result? Instead of making a profit, I actually lost money. Looking back, this was probably my very first lesson in the concept of cost versus profit, even though I had no idea what those terms meant back then.
Tapak Liman Season: A Seasonal Side Hustle for Village Kids
One of the experiences that stuck with me the most was tapak liman season. Tapak liman is a wild plant that grew abundantly in my area, and when the season came around, almost every kid in the village joined in to "harvest" it.
The process was simple: we'd dig up the tapak liman plants, dry them out in the sun, and then sell them to a local collector. We were told the dried plants would be used as an ingredient for mosquito repellent. The price per kilo was pretty low, but since we did it together as a group, it felt more like a fun seasonal activity, earning a little extra cash while hanging out with friends.
Middle School: When Everything Stopped
While elementary school was full of these small "businesses," middle school marked a complete shift. Honestly, I didn't have any side hustle at all during that time. My days were filled with playing PlayStation, hanging out at internet cafés, and reading fanfiction nonstop. Looking back, that period felt like a total "lazy mode" phase that left me feeling less motivated and less productive overall.
Final Thoughts
That's the story of my very first side hustles back in elementary school, from hunting scrap metal, to selling banana leaves and getting scolded for it, losing money on hand-drawn art, and the unforgettable tapak liman season.
I'll continue the story of my high school years and beyond in a future post. If you grew up with similar experiences, I'd love to hear your stories in the comments!
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