Tuition, room and board, books, clothes, food and - of course - support of your social scene. With so many expenses while you're at college, most people are in debt and wouldn't even consider the notion of starting a business. Yet, it could be one of the greatest decisions you could make.

Common knowledge about college goes something like this: Go to the best college you could, get passing grades, get a degree, get a job, move up the corporate ladder, and become "safe". But surprisingly, many of the most successful and happiest people alive did no such thing. Instead of going with the crowd, the status quo, they used their imagination and ambition to get money without taking orders from anyone. From Andrew Carnegie to Thomas Edison to modern day entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, the common thread of all these is that the road less traveled is often the road to success.

Why?

Because not everyone has the courage to travel this road. It requires you to overcome fears, to take chances, to learn to depend on yourself and your intuition. You don't need to be a genius to do this (Thomas Edison didn't make it past eighth grade), but you must be willing to work hard and be persistent. It is often those who refuse to take failure and no for an answer that end up succeeding.

First of all, learn your passions. It's much easier to work hard when you're excited about what you're building. Are you into sports? Consider starting a sports blog. Do you like Photography? There are many sites online that will pay you commissions for your photos, or you can even offer to work as a freelance photographer for local businesses. Do you like animals, writing, or working out? Consider businesses as a dog walker, freelance writer or personal trainer. If you scoff at some of these ideas, consider this: the best dog-walkers in the world make up to 350 dollars an hour, walking 7 dogs at once for wealthy customers in New York. As a freelance writer, you'd have a chance to hone your writing skills while getting paid up to 50 dollars per 400 world article. And personal trainers? Many have gone on to sell their own e-books and DVDs while making millions in the process. How does that sound? Pursuing your passions and making great money while you do it, plus not having to answer to anyone but yourself. Remember, if you got a skill, you could always find a way to make money off it.

So, instead of sitting around watching re-runs of "The Office" why not take control of your life and your future. And start-up costs for all these ideas are low. All of them could be started with less than a hundred dollars. Just skip a couple parties, shop at a thrift shop instead of designer malls or quit the coffee or soda habit. Save the money you would have spent and put it toward the first step to a very significant leap.

Most of the time, your lack of start-up money is your greatest asset. When you have limited resources, it forces you to focus your energies and get creative. All it takes is for you to stop procrastinating and start taking control of your future.