3 Tips for Managing a Blog in College

Honestly, I think bloggers have superpowers. I’ve been blogging for over two years, and it still amazes me how bloggers/YouTubers/influencers can be full-time students (or work full-time jobs) and still be boss babes on the web. I’ve always had a reputation of “doing it all” and “having it all together” (ha, notice the quotes though), but frankly, it hardly ever feels that way. Today I wanted to share the truth about managing a blog as a full-time student and staying sane while doing it.

3 Tips for Blogging as a College Student

Now, you could insert just about anything for ‘blog’ in this title. As a full-time employee or student, it can feel impossible to try to add anything extra to the list things we ‘have’ to do (like school our or jobs). Emphasis on the ‘feel’ part.

The ‘feeling’ part is important, but it’s not always realistic.

It’s important to know how much we can handle. But not if it means underestimating just how awesome we are and just how much we’re capable of accomplishing.

I’m my own worst critic, but I’ve also gotta be my best cheerleader.

Is it possible to manage a blog (along with all the social media, writing, editing, photography, and engaging that comes along with it) as a full-time student? Absolutely.

But like I’ve said about having faith in college or in a sorority, or about managing your health and stress levels, you’ve gotta work for it. Balance takes practice. Intentional, daily practice.

1. Practice Makes Progress

But practice makes progress, and if you put your mind to it, you can do just about anything. I fully believe that.

When people ask how I manage a blog, YouTube, social media, and life as a college student, my first reaction is that I honestly don’t know how I’d manage college without my blog. I’ve always been the creative, busy-bee type, and my blog has been my greatest blessing and best stress-relief/creative-outlet throughout college.

I’m a better person through blogging. I’m a better student, friend, and a better version of me, as cheesy as that may sound. I’m 100% ‘me’ here, and I’m real proud of all ‘Kristen Shane’ has become. I don’t get graded for my work here, and a lot of people just don’t get it.

As I’ve said before, the key to college life is balance. That’s it! And the key is blogging in college is the same trick.

RELATED: Finding Balance in College Life

It’s totally possible to be a ‘blogger’ and a ‘student’. In fact, those things aren’t separated in my mind at all. If you want to do anything in college, you’ve just gotta put your mind to it and practice finding that goldilocks-balance.

With blogging, it seems like there’s about 50 things on my to-do list at any given time. And for non-bloggers (or even reading someone else’s blog), most of that stuff happens completely behind the scenes.

2. Enjoy the Process

There’re hours of writing, editing, brainstorming, picture-taking, engaging, drafting, SEO-ing, and editing again that happens long before I’m ready to hit ‘publish’ on a post. And don’t even get me started on social media…

When your favorite blogger launches a new post, there’s a lot more into it than a quick draft, a few pictures, and ‘share’. But even though it seems like a mile-long process between inspiration for a new blog post and the final product, it’s also a very natural, totally manageable process, if you let it be.

Getting started is usually the hardest part. If you want to start a blog, but haven’t yet, why not? My guess is there’s a little voice in your head telling you that you can’t, shouldn’t, or won’t. And I’d also guess you’d like that little voice to kindly keep its mouth shut.

If you’re a blogger but don’t find ‘enough’ time for your blog, again I ask, why not? Is it because it takes too long to get from start to finish? Or is it because you keep setting that ‘perfect’ finish line further and further away… I’m guilty of both!

It’s not about managing a ‘perfect’ blog or living a ‘perfect’ life. ‘Perfect’ is an impossible standard. It’ll never be perfect. I can promise it’ll never feel perfect, either.

It’s about telling that ‘perfect’ voice in us to kindly take a hike, and inviting in that ‘you can do it’ voice instead. What I’m trying to say is that if you’re trying to run a ‘perfect’ blog as a full-time student, I’d say that problem lies in the end-goal, not the approach. Ditch ‘perfect’ for ‘progress’, and watch what happens.

RELATED: The Problem of a Perfectionist Perspective

3. Set a Schedule that Works for You, Not Against You

And in actually managing all-the-things it takes to run a blog, all you can do is take it one thing at a time. If you’ve just got a few minutes before class or time for a study-break, that’s a few minutes to brainstorm new post ideas, share posts on Pinterest, or catch up on blogs you follow.

All it takes is a few minutes at a time.

If I sat down and did everything for my blog all at once, it might start to cut into my school time. It doesn’t have to be like that though! One of the many reasons blogging is awesome is that it’s totally go-at-your-own-pace. I have some free hours in my day before and between my classes, so my blogging schedule usually looks like this:

• Mornings: reading and engaging with blogs I follow (a good way to wake up and start the day), doing some Pinterest searching and pinning
• Between classes: spending a few minutes engaging on Instagram, checking in and sharing my blog posts on Facebook groups, brainstorming and content planning (basically just jotting random thoughts or post ideas down)
• After class/nighttime: writing blog posts, drafting posts on WordPress, filming, taking pictures, etc.

When you add blogging to your usual routine, it won’t feel impossible or unattainable anymore. Do what you can, where you can, and take it one step at a time.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and nothing worth having (besides maybe a chocolate cake) will be either. It’s about a perspective of progress and a can-do attitude. And that can getcha just about anywhere.

 What did you think about this post? Do you have any tips for managing a blog while working or being a student? I’d love to hear from you. If you liked this, I’d also love if you shared this on Pinterest or subscribed to my email list below!