Proof that the harmonic series diverges (without improper integrals) 
Show that $$\sum\limits_{k=1}^n \frac{1}{k} \geq \log(n)$$ Use this to deduce that the series $$\sum\limits_{k=1}^\infty \frac{1}{k}$$ diverges.
  Hint: Use the estimate $$\frac{1}{k} \geq \int_k^{k+1} \frac{1}{x}\,\mathrm{d}x$$

Note that all instances of "$\log$" mean the natural logarithm, the inverse of the exponential. After doing the integration, I've concluded that $\frac{1}{k} \geq \log(1+\frac{1}{k})>-\log(k)$
I suspect I'm supposed to use the hint to arrive at the first inequality, and then since $\log(n)$ can become arbitrarily large as $n$ increases, so must the harmonic series (essentially the comparison test).
I'm having trouble making this jump. Hints are appreciated, but please no solutions.

we can use the fact that $$\dfrac{1}{k-1} + \dfrac{1}{k}+\dfrac{1}{k+1} =  \dfrac{1}{k}+\dfrac{2k}{k^2 - 1} >  \dfrac{1}{k}+\dfrac{2}{k} = \dfrac{3}{k}\text{ for } k \ge 2$$ to show that $s=1 + \frac12 + \frac13 + \cdots$ cannot be finite, therefore the harmonic series must diverge.
$\begin{align}
s &= \dfrac{1}{1} + \dfrac{1}{2} + \dfrac{1}{3}  +\dfrac{1}{4} + \dfrac{1}{5}+ \cdots \\
&=1+\left(\dfrac{1}{2} + \dfrac{1}{3}+\dfrac{1}{4} \right)+
 \left(\dfrac{1}{5} + \dfrac{1}{6}+\dfrac{1}{7} \right) + 
 \left(\dfrac{1}{8} + \dfrac{1}{9}+\dfrac{1}{10} \right) +
 \left(\dfrac{1}{11} + \dfrac{1}{12}+\dfrac{1}{13} \right) + \cdots \\
 &> 1+3\left(\frac13 + \frac16+\frac19+\frac1{12} \cdots\right) = 
1+1 +\frac12 + \frac13+\frac14 + \cdots\\
&=1 + s
\end{align}$
we have $ > s+1$, therefore $s$ cannot be a finite number.
