College students are notorious for being broke, but some have found a way to keep cash in their pockets while “working” less than four hours a week. By donating plasma twice a week for 52 weeks, a student can earn $2,600 a year.
The BioLife plasma donation center in Muncie gives donors cash as they leave the clinic — $20 for the first visit each week and $30 for the second.
According to the American Red Cross Web site, the plasma apheresis process removes whole blood from the donor, separates the plasma — a mixture of water and proteins — from blood cells and then returns the blood cells back to the donor.
Donors are allowed to come in twice a week but need to wait a day between visits. According to the BioLife Web site, as long as donors only give two times a week, they can come in as many times as they want to. The American Red Cross Web site limits donors to 12 visits annually.
Senior Katie Nathan said she goes in only once a week, and only when she needs extra money.
“If it took any longer, I probably wouldn’t think the pay was good, but for two hours, it’s good,” Nathan said.
Junior Ryan Koenhe said he usually also sets aside two hours for the donation process. The actual donation takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour, according to Tori Laughlin, assistant manager at Biolife Plasma Donation Center in Muncie.
While plasma donation may seem like quick and easy money to some people, others are not so sure.
“I think it’s viewed as a negative thing, and I don’t know why,” freshman Desta Waters said. “I feel like if I donated plasma, my mom would be mad at me.”
She said she doesn’t think she would ever donate unless she really needed the money, and she would bring a friend with her.
Laughlin said she hasn’t heard of people thinking that donating plasma is bad. Sometimes people will come in nervous, but it’s usually because of needles, she said.
“I’ve seen pretty much everything; some are scared to death of needles, and some don’t mind. It depends on the person,” she said.
Some students actually find the experience easier than they thought it would be.
“I don’t think it hurts at all,” Koenhe said. “The pin-prick before you go in is worse than the needles. But it also kind of depends on [what nurse] you get.”
Senior Alex Lathrop said he’s fine as long as he doesn’t watch the needle go in, but sometimes the donation process does not go as smoothly as donors wish. Lathrop said he was unable to fill his bag of plasma when he developed a blood clot while donating earlier this year.
“Actually, the last time I was here, I got hematoma, a blood clot,” he said. “It was the first one I ever had. I went at 9 in the morning, and I’m not a morning person, so my body wasn’t ready for it yet.”
After signing in, donors go through a screening to ensure they are in good health. Levels of weight, blood pressure, temperature, protein and hematocrit, the percentage of red blood cells in the whole blood, are all tested, according to the BioLife Web site. The Web site said donors must also answer questions about their lifestyles and general health, as well as go through a mini physical the first time they go in and then once a year afterwards.
Donors have to sit for long periods of time while waiting and donating, and Laughlin said it can be a good timeout for students.
“I can just sit there and stare off in space and daydream,” Lathrop said.
Koenhe and Nathan said they usually read magazines or books. Laughlin said she is very proud of the students who come in and use the time practically.
“I think it’s great that a lot of students use the time to study,” she said.
Anyone can donate as long as they are over the age of 18, weigh over 110 pounds and lead a healthy lifestyle, according to the Web site. Laughlin said that most of the college students donate on a regular basis, and many donate at their home centers when they leave Muncie for summer break.
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