HOW TO MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF AS A STUDENT BLOGGER

Ever feel overwhelmed between school and trying to manage a successful blog? Then this post is for you. The new school year is just around the corner, and it is important that you make time for yourself as your calendar starts to fill up.

Take a blog break.

Everyone needs a little break sometimes. Even if you have established a schedule, it is okay to take a few days off every once in a while. If you force yourself to stick to your schedule all the time, it might start to feel like a chore, and that's not what this is supposed to be about!

Prevent getting burnt out.

So-and-so posts 5 times a week, so I have to too, right? No way! You get to decide how much of a commitment this is going to be. A good blog isn't defined by how many times a week you post. A good blog has quality posts and fosters a creative community. Figure out how much you can handle, and only post what you are really proud of. Don't focus on quantity just because you think it is what it takes to be considered a good blog. At the end of the day your readers would much rather spend their time reading your best work, and you are less likely to burn out from working on it too much.

Decide how much time you want to commit to your blog during the school year.

This is similar to the last one, but it is even more important in the school year to make blog goals that are realistic. College is busy enough for students without blogs. And being a blogger is busy enough without classes, clubs and everything else that comes back when the school year resumes. Maybe it's only realistic for you to post once a week, and maybe you plan ahead for times you know you will be really busy, like exam weeks. Be honest with yourself, and don't stress if you can't post as much as you normally would.

Consider guest posts.

There are points during the school year that the thought of trying to squeeze in time to write a blog post seems impossible. I noticed last semester that almost all of my posts were ones that I had written for Her Campus and copied over, because it was hard enough to find time to write those articles. So one thing that I am considering is reaching out to other bloggers with similar blogs for guest posts. This presents an opportunity to get to know other bloggers better, and it is mutually beneficial. You have content for your readers and exposure for the other blogger! Plus, maybe they would want you to do a guest post for them in the future.

Take coffee breaks.

So maybe you're not a coffee drinker. Then feel free to take a break to sip on tea or juice or whatever you may fancy. It seems that a lot of college students and bloggers are into coffee (I am definitely one of them now). You could grab a cup with a friend or take some time to just enjoy your drink without worrying about the stresses of blogging and school. You could even treat yourself to a fancier drink or seek out a coffee shop that you haven't been to before around campus.

Related: Why I Have a Love/Hate Relationship With Coffee Shops

Write about what you enjoy.

I have found that when I am writing about topics that I am passionate about it doesn't feel like work. It's fun! And isn't that really why we are doing this anyway? If you are not enjoying blogging anymore, it might be time to sit down and consider why you are still at it. It is a huge time commitment, and a lot of work. But for me, it is every bit worth it. I enjoy writing about college and creativity, so that is what you can expect out of most of my posts.  Sometimes "me time" means hiding in my room and writing about whatever is on my mind.

Hopefully as the school year starts up you can still find some time to take a break and relax a bit. You deserve it.

How do you make time for yourself as a college blogger?

WE'RE MOVING

Life has been nuts. I was so proud of myself a couple of weeks ago for cranking out 5 posts in one week. But I knew that I should have saved one or two of them for the next week. I ended up only posting once last week. A few times I tried to write another one, but I think I was a little burnt out from overproducing the week before. Plus, I am in full stress mode about moving into my house in less than two weeks. From the dorms to an apartment to a house, I am having the full college experience. But boy do I wish I didn't have to go through the process of moving again. 

Every time I talk about my house with someone new the response is always the same, "You're living with 8 people in one house?! Wow." Sometimes I get the reassuring, "Good luck." But I am excited! I like everyone that I am living with, and I know that it will be challenging sometimes with that many people in a house, but it's college. It's the time to live with your friends and learn how to make the best out of any living situation. I don't need granite counter tops or stainless steel appliances to make me happy. I'm in college. I need good friends for good times, and I know I will be content. 

I can't help but think, can't we just skip past these few weeks and already be moved in? I am so tired of packing and cleaning. Half the time I am stressed out about making everything fit in my car and the other half I'm wondering how in the world I have acquired so much stuff by twenty. Whenever I go home I always bring stuff back to my apartment, thinking that if I bring it I will actually use it. In reality, I spend most of my free time with friends or my laptop, so I don't need much else. 

It's hard to believe that it's already August. Classes start in less than a month, and I am nowhere near ready for summer to be over. I always start to crave the structure again near the end of summer, but I am not ready to go back to all that comes with getting back in a routine. Can't I just keep alternating between work, Netflix and the beach?

What are you most looking forward to before the end of summer? Do you have any fun plans for the last month?