My Experience Building PeerPeer

My Experience Building PeerPeer

Introduction

Creating a blog is not as straightforward as some people may think. In the beginning, all you have is an idea. Then, as you try to mold that idea, you face many obstacles along the way. For instance, you need to find resources, do some research, and draft an outline before your fingers ever touch the keyboard. Finding resources can be a real challenge. Sometimes, it takes me as long to find an article as it takes to read and take notes. Most of the time, writing is the easiest part. Then, you must overcome the design challenges, which is a very tedious process. However, once you see it through, creating a blog can be a rewarding experience. Here, I’ll cover the practices I applied to my blog, the challenges I faced, how we all benefit from blogs, and how I will maintain the PeerPeer website

Applied Practices and Challenges

The most important part about running a blog is that it should be a reflection of yourself. That means doing your own research, using credible sources, and writing in your own voice. Using AI as a tool is okay if it will help you sound more like yourself (Kowzowski, 2025). However, AI shouldn’t do the work for you, and we cannot rely on the info it provides because we prompt it to say anything (Kozowski, 2025). So, you still need to do your own research. I use AI to outline my blog post and adapt some language. It can also help you explain complex topics and start/finish a paragraph. It’s a great tool to jumpstart your brain, but do not rely on AI for too much. Building a unique brand is the key to starting a successful blog, and AI responses are typically generic (Chinn, 2023; Kozlowski, 2025). You need to develop your own style and express your own point of view (Chinn, 2023). My writing style reflects me; it’s a mix of informal and formal. I am logical and intelligent, but I try to avoid all the jargon and not take anything too seriously. I’ve reached my conclusions by reading other blogs, textbooks, and peer-reviewed articles, as well as writing papers for school. When you read my thoughts, you receive a glimpse of how I act and the way that I think.

The appeal of your blog is another way for you to express yourself. It’s your blog. It should look how you want it to look but still grab people’s attention. Getting my blog to look the way I wanted it to, however, was my biggest challenge. I built this blog for class using the Blogger website, and I am not a fan. I find Blogger very limited, and it’s a fight to get the simplest things done, such as posting a blog. According to (TestOut, 2024), Microsoft Word is the most popular word processor in the world, but you cannot copy and paste your documents from Word to Blogger. Instead, I had to change the file type by uploading my documents to Google Drive and copy and paste them to Blogger from there. Plus, I had to clear the formatting and reformat the blog post so it would display correctly. If I didn’t clear the formatting, the words on the blog would run off the screen.

Uploading images was a similar challenge. Only moving the images around would mess up the format and organization of the whole post. Overcoming these challenges was the process of research, trial, and error. I messed up all the time, and I had to restart all the time. Other times, it seems like I didn’t do anything differently except step away, and the program worked magically, which I find is the most frustrating thing about computers. In the end, I’m very happy with the final result. It is a frustrating process, but my blog looks amazing!

Educational Potential

The educational potential of my blog is boundless. When I shared my blog’s URL with my sister, she learned about phishing and commented that she could’ve been a cyberattack victim for trusting my link. She’s not a cyber security expert but still benefited from my blog. Additionally, I learned a few new skills building this blog, like changing file types so my documents would display correctly on Blogger. Whenever I faced an obstacle, I learned a new way to expand my blog.

Moreover, maintaining a blog helps me understand and explain how computers function, which will benefit me as I continue studying cybersecurity. Writing informally regularly improves our writing and comprehension of whatever topic we’re studying (Chinn, 2023). I could expand my blog by creating videos from my blog that explain the subject matter in an entertaining way. So I can reach people who don’t feel like reading long articles. However, I don’t have to stop there. Other people could join PeerPeer and post informative videos of their own and get the same benefits from blogging that I’ve received. As I grow this blog and connect with others, its value will grow, too.

Maintaining PeerPeer

I think maintaining PeerPeer will be a fulfilling experience that I plan on undertaking. I want to add it to my cyber security portfolio in case employers are ever intrigued. So, I will continue to adapt my assignments from school into posts for my blog. I’m a cybersecurity major, so it won’t be an issue for me to research information technology every week. I’ll just talk about whatever topic I’m exploring. I’ll continue updating my blog weekly for the next two years until I graduate. When I learn more about HTML, I will adapt my blog’s coding and adjust its layout. This consistent effort will not only enhance my technical skills but also showcase my growth and dedication to prospective employers. By the time I graduate, my blog will stand as a comprehensive reflection of my journey in cybersecurity, filled with valuable insights and practical knowledge.

Conclusion

Reflecting on my journey of creating and maintaining the PeerPeer blog, I realize that the process has been both challenging and rewarding. Every obstacle served as a learning opportunity, from overcoming technical hurdles with Blogger to refining my writing style. The blog has not only helped me enhance my research and technical skills but has also allowed me to share knowledge to benefit others, like my sister. As I continue to update and improve PeerPeer, I am excited about the growth it will represent in my cybersecurity journey. This blog will remain a testament to my dedication, creativity, and continuous learning, ultimately showcasing my development to future employers and peers in the field.

References

Chinn, P. L. (2023). On blogging. Nurse Author & Editor (Wiley-Blackwell), 33, p. 10-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/nae2.12052

Kozlowski, E. (2025). Should I use AI to write my blog post? https://www.nwsdigital.com/Blog/Should-I-Use-AI-to-Write-My-Blog-Posts

TestOut Corp. (2024). CertMaster Learn Tech+. http://www.testout.com