Is being a Blogger at University really worth it?

We live in the internet era and online presence has undoubtedly become not just complementary to the offline world, but almost compulsory. Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest - the more present that you are on social platforms, the better. Your online presence shapes your image and for young people, it is of particular importance to build up a positive image of themselves, both online and offline. Not only for social reasons, but also to boost employment prospects.

Aside from all the options above, there is one other way to be present online. As a blogger. Social media accounts say a great deal about you, but they're usually broken up into little bits and pieces of information, not really providing you with enough room to really share your thoughts with the world. A personal blog is one of the first steps towards personal branding, especially for students like myself who need to take control of their online presence and start advertising themselves in order to build up a career. As a journalism student and potential future freelancer, being active online is of vital importance and allows me to really make the most of the creative industry.

I'm the type of person who often talks a little bit too much and feels the urge to share things that happen on a daily basis. I started my blog back in 2014 a year before i came to uni and used it as somewhere that i could share my interest in make-up, fashion and anything 'girly'. It wasn't really anything too structured, but i received positive feedback on it which began to make me feel more accomplished and a lot happier. 3 years on and i write a personal blog and for several other publications and i love it more and more each day. Something that began as a place for me to express myself has turned into more than just a hobby and has landed me a variety of different employment opportunities and improved my written work dramatically.

After that pretty chunky introduction, i'm going to highlight why i think becoming a blogger at university is a great idea:

1. Personal Branding 

Like i said, writing a personal blog is one of the strongest forms of online presence. Having a blog gives you space to shape your image and share your thoughts with anyone that might be interested. Your blog says who you are, jut like your accomplishments do.

2. A New Skill 

Keeping a blog is not only about writing. Maintaining a blog also means learning editing techniques, SEO, web maintenance and social media algorithms etc. Reading other blogs and watching tutorials on how to use blogging platforms is also a really good way to get familiar with blog hosting sites.

3. Opportunities

A personal blog is pretty much an online business card for networking. You get to know and even meet like-minded people who appreciate your ideas and see potential in you. You never know who may come across your blog.

4. Earning Extra Money 

After a certain amount of time (it differs for everyone) you can actually earn money using your blog. As your number of readers increases, you can begin to advertise and more and more. If you want to start a blog for the sole purpose of earning money then a blog probably isn't the right thing for you. A lot of time and effort goes into producing and running a successful blog, making money doesn't just happen overnight. And even if you don't earn money from your blog, brands may read it and suggest doing a collaboration.

So there you have it. If you were looking for a reason to become a blogger whilst studying at university, then there it is! I highly encourage everyone to have a blog of some sort, whether it is private or public. It's a great way to jot down your thoughts, provoke discussion and get involved with a wider community.

Have a lovely rest of your week!