Over the summer your blogging has been going great, you’ve been able to post regular content, network and meet new bloggers, but now that the school year is fast approaching, you may be worried that you’ll get bogged down with your courses and assignments and will have to let all of your blogging progress go to waste.
I was once a college student and a blogger, so I totally understand how your academic schedule can effect your blogging efforts.
Of course, education comes first, and at times things will get so overwhelming that it’s tempting to just quit blogging altogether. I thought of quitting many times, but the thought of letting all of the progress that I had made over the summer go to waste made me a bit nauseous.
After all, I believed that a blog could potentially get me the exposure I’d need after graduation to land a great job – especially since I had been majoring in English.
So, I had to keep blogging, but I won’t pretend that it wasn’t difficult at times.
Here are some of the strategies I employed to keep on blogging while attending school:
Picked the Right Course Schedule
I first created a course schedule during my preferred hours. Since I’m not a morning person, I rarely scheduled myself for morning classes whenever I had the option. Of course, if you are a morning person, then go right ahead and schedule your classes during those times.
Paid Attention to Course Syllabus
The very first day of class, I would collect my syllabi and immediately pull out my planner to schedule assignments and study time. This kept me from waiting until the last minute to work on papers and projects that needed to be completed.
Planned Ahead for Blogging Activities
In addition to planning ahead for assignments, I also set aside a time in my planner for writing and promotional activities. Course work first, blog and social media second
Regardless of how bad I got the blogging itch, I avoided logging on to social networks and resisted the temptation to work on blog post drafts until after I had completed my course assignments or had studied for at least one hour.
I’d made the mistake of spending too much time blogging and ended up having to pull an all nighter to finish a paper that I should’ve been working on for weeks. I went to class sleepy and dizzy and ended up getting a lower grade than I wanted. Don’t let this happen to you.
Reduced Blog Updates
I eventually had to reduce my post schedule to a few times a week. My blog didn’t progress as fast as I wanted it to during those times, but at least it didn’t completely die out.
Stay consistent, but try reducing your updates or call on some blogging friends to guest post on your blog.
Limited Time Spent on Social Media
Yes, social networking sites are definitely the best way to promote a blog, but it’s also the easiest way to waste time if you’re not careful. I set a time limit – no more than 30 minutes to an hour spent on social networks. A timer is a great way to keep from losing all track of time – something you can’t afford to do if you’re a student.
Stuck to it
Most importantly, through it all I didn’t give up. I sometimes had to skip posts, but I refused to quit no matter what.
Stayed up late when I had no other choice
This last tip is not highly recommended, but when it comes to your education and your blog, sometimes you’ve got to put in a few extra hours – skip the icebreakers and first Friday parties and prioritize whatever it is that needs to be done.
I’d start with the most important assignments and tasks and I’d just keep on working until it was all accomplished. I kept myself motivated by reminding myself that on Fridays when there were no classes, I could get as much rest as I needed.
That’s how I kept my blog going while attending college – what tips could we add here?
Kiesha Easley is the author of A Step by Step Guide to a Better Blog. She is a technical writer, blogger, and consultant. Read more of her work on We Blog Better, where she aims to teach others how to blog and build stronger online communities. Connect with her on Twitter or subscribe to her newsletter.
