Why On Earth Should I Blog?

Guest post: A Worried Student

Having a personal blog has become such mainstream advice in today's world, where you are often told you need something on your CV to make you stand out from the crowd. Yet, not many people take up the advice. I mean, who has time for that? Well, here’s why you should make time…

First of all, let’s get a few misconceptions out the way. We often think that only those studying English or a media degree should make a personal blog, but that couldn't be further from the truth. A simple browse of popular blogging sites like WordPress will reveal all sorts of people writing about whatever interests them. Not all blogs are venting and ranting platforms you know! Allow me to tell you why you shouldconsider starting a blog.

Make sense of your own thoughts

One of the things I noticed when I began blogging was that there was a sudden desire to write about everything. All those thoughts running around in my head begged to be let out in the form of blog posts and in doing so, I had to articulate them in a clear, logical way. The desire to post often meant that I began to search for inspiration in everyday life. Creative sparks. Whether it was something I read in the news, a political conversation with a friend or simply being caught out in the rain.

Improve your communication skills

I began to write across all genres so that my narrative style could adapt to the topic of a post. It is quite hard to write about being caught in the rain if you continue to write in a wooden and formal voice. Yet it is equally difficult to be taken seriously if your more serious-themed posts are full of light-hearted comments and weak attempts at humor. So blogging allowed me to refine my ability to adapt and I began to learn how to strike a balance.

Develop better study habits

Whatever subject you are interested in, you will still be writing (or typing) your way through life, so having a personal blog allows you to naturally develop your writing. Writing for an audience means you will play close attention to your posts and actually – to the utter delight of your teachers – get into the habit of re-reading and checking your writing.

Connect with bloggers worldwide

Another great benefit is that you get to interact with people from all over the world. I found that blogging helps you develop strong relationships with fellow bloggers, which is something you do not really experience on other social media platforms. Take for example Instagram: you can have a picture with a thousand likes, yet not a single person commenting on how beautiful it is.

There is a great sense of community on blogging sites (WordPress being the one I use) and the sense that you are sharing ideas with people from far-flung places is awesome. I wouldn’t normally have been able to meet the hundreds of people that I have from all over the world through my blog. At the last count, the list of countries on my stats page was too big to screenshot into this post!

Broaden your understanding of global issues

One benefit of an international audience is that you meet people who share the same opinions as you, or who may face the same challenges that you do. When I began blogging about the terrible rise in tuition fees in the UK, I realized that there were people all over the world who had the same problem or faced even more severe hardships in education.

Boost your employment prospects

As well as broadening your outlook, having a personal blog also broadens your opportunities. When you mention you have a blog to a potential employer, it becomes an instant spark in the conversation. If your blog is well maintained, then it demonstrates your ability to take care of a personal project and of course, your ability to write. In recent years, the experience of having a personal blog has become even more important, as many companies are finally realizing the importance of online marketing and interaction.

Have more interesting conversations

Your blog can also be a social spark. Mention you have a blog to a friend, and s/he will instantly be interested. People like to read things their friends have written, which means you have an instant audience as soon as you introduce it to them.

Share your views with the world

Finally, one of the greatest things about blogging is its freedom. You can write about whatever you want, whenever you want. You can reveal your identity or you can remain anonymous. It is totally up to you and that freedom can be quite liberating when it comes to writing. You may feel a little shy to talk about certain topics on your Facebook or Twitter but when it comes to your blog, there are no such restrictions. 

A quick browse of blogs on WordPress will reveal the diverse range of topics and identities in the blogosphere. The political activist, the excited student, the annoyed teenager, the ardent traveler, the aspiring writer, the all-rounder blogger… Whilst many people will say that a blog needs a theme to give it a sense of identity, a personal blog can contain posts across many topics. When I first began blogging, my focus was on the political issues which affect education, but now I write about anything which interests me – both serious and humorous. 

So blogging is a brilliant, fun and addictive experience with numerous benefits. Give it a try; it literally does take a mere few minutes to set one up and start blogging. Soon you may find your writing increase to such a level that when you are handed a thousand-word assessment, it just feels like a slightly longer blog post. Easy peasy!

A Worried Student (aka Siraj) is currently studying English Literature at King’s College London. He maintains a popular blog, aptly titled A Worried Student. Born and brought up in Hackney, Worried Student’s concerns focus on fighting against the terrible tuition fees, promoting social equality and challenging negative stereotypes, as well as providing a bit of entertainment along the way. Whether this is through cool blog posts, poetry, fiction or just amazing art, visit his blog to experience it all!