My growth as a blogger
Blogging was not an entirely new experience for me, as I had a similar one – running a social platform channel for students at my university in Ukraine. The channel evaluated architectural design workshop instructors based on academic characteristics. Inspired by a similar tool at another university, I believed it would have greatly helped me choose a workshop at the beginning of my studies. It was challenging to engage people, so my partner and I decided to use student interviews to attract attention. This became my first step toward processing texts and presenting thoughts, as I interviewed students studying abroad to showcase alternative educational experiences and influence my peers’ perspectives.
The “icebreaker” – my first blog post – felt like a return to this kind of experience of formulating and sharing ideas. It also reminded me of writing motivational letters, a task likely familiar to those who have recently transferred universities.
Initially, things progressed smoothly. I published my first blog post but later realized I had overlooked the requirement for blogs to be supported by at least three academic references. This was a new experience for me, as such requirements were never part of my education in Ukraine. With my second blog, I began learning how to search for sources, process information, and critically evaluate what to include in the text. Although the process was unfamiliar, with practice, I feel more efficient now. However, there’s still room to improve the quality of selected information. I prioritized speed in developing this skill, as sifting through dozens of academic sources to select the most relevant ones seemed time-consuming but proved to be more manageable than I initially thought.
The second challenge I encountered was referencing all citations and images. This was also a completely new skill for me, which initially consumed an incredible amount of time. With practice, I learned to do it faster, but I still find myself uncertain about my chosen images, especially when little information is available about them or when they are reposted multiple times on platforms like Pinterest, with the originals deleted or hidden, making it impossible to trace their source.
One skill I would like to develop further is being less descriptive and more engaging in my texts. While I feel confident in my ability to research and present facts, I aim to write in a way that captivates my audience more effectively. This would elevate my blogs and make them more appealing to a wider audience.
Despite these challenges, I believe I managed to produce decent blogs, developing many skills that will prove useful in my professional career. Blogging has become a valuable experience.
This course even inspired me to start my own Instagram blog with short reflections on architecture, urban design, and life abroad. It’s something I had long wanted to do but hesitated, as I often found my ideas already implemented by others. However, this course helped me find a format that feels distinct and exciting. In a way, it’s about sharing and teaching others through my experiences and knowledge, popularizing topics for a Ukrainian audience. I hope it helps people learn more about urban design and its importance while shifting the perspective of Ukrainian students toward education, creating a demand for its modernization in Ukraine.
