We are constantly being warned about youth unemployment and the fact that we have delusional salary expectations by careers advisors, our parents and the media. And who can really blame them for their concerns – achieving a top job with an excellent rate of pay is surely unrealistic in these times of economic hardship. Yet, for some reason, we are still captivated by the idea of living a life of luxury. Just think about the voyeuristic pleasure we take in ‘Made in Chelsea’, or how as a nation we are willing to spend a collective £1 billion on copying Kate Middleton’s wardrobe.

Wealth is something that is exclusive and desirable but it seems only accessible to those who have a) inherited it from daddy b) married into royalty or c) engaged in some rather questionable evening work. It is because most of us will never acquire it that we want it all the more. Of course, there is much more to life than making money, but having it can significantly change the course of your life, and that is certainly worth pursuing.

Luckily there is a way to get rich quick and I’m not talking about selling out to reality television or the escort industry. The best and most rewarding way to achieve the wealthy lifestyle we all crave is to make it happen for ourselves. Plenty of students have made it as millionaires, or even billionaires, by starting their own businesses. You only need to google ‘young entrepreneurs’ to see numerous students that have earned a place on Forbes’ coveted Rich Lists. And don’t forget, entrepreneurs are just people like you that have taken control of their circumstances and seized opportunities to become top business moguls. The poster boy for self-made success is obviously 27-year-old Mark Zuckerberg, whose net worth now stands at $17.5 billion. He created Facebook when he was just 21 with cofounder, Dustin Moskovitz, who is presently the world’s youngest billionaire (also 27 years) with $3.5 billion to his name. This proves that if you have got a business idea, however radical it might seem at first, you might want to consider taking it further.

University is a time when you can afford to take creative risks without worrying too much about the consequences. There is also a lot of funding out there for new start-ups with most of these being grants as opposed to loans. Also, students can get access to a free support service called LAUNCH.ed, which is designed to help budding entrepreneurs make their fortune and has already helped over fifty companies do just that. Head to their website for information about upcoming events and on how to meet with a business advisor and who knows, maybe 2012 might be the start of your rise to richest.