I remember sitting in my college library, pretending to study for my economics exam while secretly watching stock charts on my laptop. It was my second year, and I’d just opened my first trading account with ₹15,000 I’d saved from tutoring jobs and birthday money. I was completely confused. Should I be a swing trader like those YouTube guys who showed off their daily profits? Or should I invest long-term like Warren Buffett? Everyone had an opinion, and all of them contradicted each other. So I did what any curious (and slightly reckless) college student would do I tried both. I split my ₹15,000 into two parts: ₹7,500 for swing trading and ₹7,500 for long term investing. What happened next taught me more about investing than any textbook ever could. I made mistakes, lost money, gained some back, learned valuable lessons, and eventually figured out what actually works for students like us. Today, I’m going to share everything I learned from three years of trying both approaches during college. This isn’t theoretical advice from someone who’s never traded. This is real experience including the embarrassing losses and surprising wins.
My First Swing Trade
By Subhankor
Let me start with my swing trading journey because it makes for a more entertaining and painful story.
Week 1: The Overconfident Beginning
I watched a stock for three days. It was moving between ₹180 and ₹195. I thought I’d figured out a pattern. “This is easy!” I told my roommate. “I’ll buy at ₹180 and sell at ₹195. That’s 8% profit!” I bought 40 shares at ₹182 ₹7,280 total. My plan was to hold for 3-7 days and sell when it hit ₹195.
What Actually Happened:
The stock immediately dropped to ₹175. Then ₹170. Then ₹165. I panicked. I couldn’t sleep. I checked the price every 30 minutes. My midterm exams were coming up, but all I could think about was my bleeding portfolio. On day 6, at ₹162, I sold in panic. I lost ₹800 about 11% of my swing trading capital in one week.
What Is Swing Trading?
By Subhankor
Swing trading means holding stocks for a few days to a few weeks, trying to profit from short-term price movements. You’re not day trading (buying and selling the same day), but you’re not holding for years either.
What It Required From Me as a Student:
Time Commitment (3-4 hours daily):
- 30 minutes before market open: checking news, analyzing charts
- 9:15 AM – 3:30 PM: monitoring positions even during classes
- Evening: researching new opportunities, analyzing performance
Mental Energy:
- Constant worry about positions
- Emotional rollercoaster with every price movement
- Stress affecting studies and sleep
- FOMO when not watching the market
Skills Needed:
- Technical analysis (reading charts, indicators, patterns)
- Understanding market trends and momentum
- Quick decision-making under pressure
- Emotional control (the hardest part)
My Reality:
By Subhankor
I remember sitting in my accounting lecture, secretly checking stocks on my phone. I missed important concepts because I was worried about a position that was down 3%. During exam week, I had a profitable trade that I should have held for two more days, but I closed it early because I couldn’t monitor it during exams. I left 5% profit on the table.
I’m not going to lie there were some wins:
- Made 12% in one week on a pharmaceutical stock (₹900 profit)
- Caught a momentum trade that gave me 8% in three days
- Successfully traded around a major earnings announcement
But Here’s the Truth:
Out of 23 swing trades I made in my second year:
- 9 were profitable (39% success rate)
- 11 were losses (48% failure rate)
- 3 broke even (13%)
What It Required From Me as a Student:
Time Commitment (1-2 hours monthly):
- 30 minutes: checking portfolio performance
- 30 minutes: researching new investments or rebalancing
- 30 minutes: reading about companies I owned
Mental Energy:
- Minimal day-to-day stress
- Occasional anxiety during market crashes (but manageable)
- Freedom to focus on studies
Skills Needed:
- Basic understanding of business fundamentals
- Patience (the most important skill)
- Ability to ignore short-term noise
- Discipline to keep investing regularly
My Long-Term Portfolio Evolution:
Year 1 (Second Year of College):
- Started with ₹7,500 in Nifty 50 index fund
- Added ₹500/month via SIP
- Total invested: ₹13,500
- Year-end value: ₹14,850 (10% return)
Year 2 (Third Year of College):
- Continued ₹500/month SIP
- Added ₹1,000 bonus money twice
- Total invested: ₹22,500
- Year-end value: ₹26,100 (16% return including compounding)
Year 3 (Final Year):
- Increased SIP to ₹1,000/month (got better part-time job)
- Total invested: ₹34,500
- Graduation value: ₹42,300 (23% total return over 3 years)
Conclusion
By Subhankor
Three years ago, I split my savings between swing trading and long term investing, thinking both were equally good options for students.
I was wrong. The numbers speak clearly: my long-term investments grew 23% while my swing trading lost 15%. But the numbers don’t tell the complete story. The real cost of swing trading was the stress, the lost study time, the sleepless nights, the distraction during classes, and the impact on my overall college experience. The opportunity cost wasn’t just moneyit was my education, my mental health, and my peace of mind. Long-term investing gave me something far more valuable than swing trading ever could: the freedom to be a student first and an investor second. It let me focus on learning, building relationships, enjoying college, and preparing for my careerwhile my money quietly grew in the background.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can’t I do both swing trading and long-term investing together?
A: Technically yes, but practically difficult for most students. I tried this and found that swing trading consumed mental energy even when I wanted to focus on my long-term portfolio. If you insist, keep swing trading to 10-20% maximum of your capital and only during semester breaks. Don’t let it distract from your primary long-term strategy.
Q2: How much money do I need to start long-term investing?
A: You can start with as little as ₹500 per month. I started with ₹500 SIP in an index fund. Most mutual fund platforms allow SIPs starting from ₹100-500. The key is consistency, not the amount. I’d rather invest ₹500 monthly for 4 years than ₹5,000 once and then nothing.
Q3: What if I’m really good at technical analysis? Shouldn’t I swing trade?
A: Being good at technical analysis doesn’t guarantee profits in swing trading. I thought I was good too until real money and emotions got involved. Even if you’re skilled, ask yourself: do you have the time, capital, and emotional bandwidth as a student? Most don’t. Save swing trading for after graduation when you have stable income.
Disclaimer
By Subhankor
The information provided in this blog post is based on my personal experiences as a student investor and is intended for educational purposes only. It should not be considered professional financial advice, investment recommendations, or a guarantee of investment outcomes.
Not Financial Advice: I am not a SEBI-registered investment advisor, certified financial planner, or professional financial consultant. Nothing in this blog should be interpreted as personalized financial advice. Always consult with qualified financial professionals before making investment decisions.
