This is a great observation.
There is a project in the making (heard at SteemSpeak discord channel) where some of the great minds are working on something so that you can still earn rewards after the seven days. I will update you if I learn more 💓
I also just came across SteemShelves, which is pretty cool. It's aimed at fiction and short story writers, linking their posts in chronological order, under their author name. So, for example, You would click on a specific author, and then be able to see all their works for a specific series, in the order they were posted. It's very cool.
I have been thinking about a similar project for a while, as as a foodie writer, there's nowhere to reference or save previous recipes. I'd love a favourite bar to be implemented in the Steemit interface. Favourite authors/posts, easily accessible. Also, it would be cool to be able to have a "print" button, which converts each article or recipe into a printable PDF.
I also agree with, and rather like, your point about college scantly being on your toes to create new content. This is my favourite part of Steemit. I am constantly thinking of new posts.
It is tiring though! Tiring, but rewarding 💓
Thank you for the interesting post, you've definitely sparked some thought patterns in my head