By Umar-Mark Victor
So, I just hit a pretty wild milestone: publishing the 200th article on my blog.
Let me just let that sink in for a second. 200!
If you told the "me" from first year that this is where I’d be, I would have probably laughed nervously and gone back to frantically trying to decode my lecture notes. But here we are, and I wanted to share this journey with you not to brag, but because maybe, just maybe, your own game-changing idea is waiting to be started.
It All Started With That "Struggle-is-Real" Feeling
Remember your first year? That mix of excitement and sheer panic? I walked into my History and International Relations lectures, ready to conquer the world, only to find myself… well, a little lost. The concepts were huge, the readings were dense, and I was spending more time trying to understand the material than actually engaging with it.
I felt like I was the only one, but I’m sure some of you can relate. I was looking for resources that broke things down in a simpler, more relatable way, but I couldn’t really find what I was looking for.
So, out of sheer frustration (and a little bit of that late-night caffeine courage), I decided to create what I couldn't find.
The "Why Not?" Moment
I had just learned the basics of blogging. I was obsessed with the idea but had zero clue what to write about. Everyone says you need a "niche," and my mind was blank. Then, in the middle of a lecture, it hit me.
I was sitting there, trying to untangle a complex topic in international relations, and I thought: "Why not just write about what I'm learning? Right here, right now."
My niche was staring me in the face the whole time. It was my own degree. It was the very thing causing me stress that became my solution. I thought, if I’m struggling to understand this, other people probably are too. Why not use the blog to simplify our course topics?
It was a simple, almost obvious idea. And those are often the best ones.
The Scary First Steps
Let’s be real, the beginning was rough. Putting your thoughts out there is terrifying. What if people thought it was stupid? What if no one read it?
My first few posts felt like I was whispering into a void. But I kept at it. I’d take notes in lectures, go to the library, and then rewrite the concepts in my own words, as if I was explaining it to a friend. I kept it simple, clear, and straight to the point.
Then, I did the bravest thing I’d done all semester: I shared a post in my department’s WhatsApp group. My heart was pounding. I put my phone face down and didn't check it for a whole hour.
When I finally looked, my phone was buzzing with notifications. People were actually reading it! They were commenting things like, "Ohhh, so THAT’S what that meant!" and "This is so much clearer than the textbook, thank you!"
That was the moment everything changed. It wasn’t just my blog anymore; it was our little study hub.
How a Solo Project Became a Squad Goal
Fast forward to today. What started as my solo mission to understand my coursework has blossomed into something I never imagined. We’re now a proper little team with dedicated researchers and a brand that people actually recognize around campus.
This blog has done more for me than any single assignment ever could. It forced me to truly understand my work, which, no surprise, made my grades better. It connected me with amazing, like-minded people in my department. It’s opened doors for networking opportunities I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
But the best part? It’s the messages I get. The "thank you" notes from classmates who aced a test because of a post, or the juniors who say the blog helped them settle into the department. That’s the real win. That’s what keeps me going.
So, What’s Next?
Reaching 200 posts isn't the finish line. It feels like we're just getting started. We’re working harder, dreaming bigger, and figuring out just how far this little blog can go. This journey has taught me that you don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to start.
If you’re sitting on a crazy idea probably a blog, a podcast, a YouTube channel, or a startup I’m here to tell you to just go for it. Start before you feel ready. Your unique perspective and your struggles might be the exact thing someone else needs to see.
Your passion project could be the key to unlocking your entire university experience. Mine definitely was.
Here’s to the next 200!
P.S. If you’re studying History and IR (or you're just curious!), come check out the blog and join our community. And if you have an idea you’ve been scared to start, hit comments section and tell me about it! Let’s build together.
