How to Romanticize School and Studying

If you are anything like me, you may be on “StudyTok.” #StudyTok on TikTok has around 13.5 billion views and is filled with a variety of videos. The videos range from aesthetic note taking, time lapses of people studying, cute school supplies, users flaunting their grades and achievements, clips of fictional overachievers like Rory Gilmore and Hermione Granger, and much, much more. Though the videos are all uniquely different, they all seem to have one common theme, romanticizing school and studying.

If you are not aware of this growing trend of romanticizing your life on TikTok, to romanticize something essentially means to make something more appealing than it actually is. So, by making these short clips, users are making the studying and schoolwork students dislike into something aesthetic and enjoyable. 

Though this concept may seem laughable at first, after watching many StudyTok videos and applying the tips StudyTok creators shared, I have found that my grades as well as my happiness have increased dramatically. So to help out my fellow students, here are the things that work best for me! To begin, I will first share tips for romanticizing school itself:

1. Dress to Impress 

Although it may initially seem unrelated to your academic performance, I have personally found that wearing clothes that I feel good in increases my self-confidence in school, making me prone to participate and answer questions in class.

Wearing clothes I feel confident in gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning and makes my boring school life just a little more glamorous.

2. School Supplies

Though many of us long to have a handy iPad or an extensive set of pretty highlighters like many of the StudyTok creators, these things may be unaffordable. However, this does not mean that we can’t have school supplies that are both affordable and attractive. For me, having notebooks in my favourite colours, decorated with stickers of my favourite characters is already enough to put a smile on my face in my most dreaded classes. If you are a visual person like me, do not underestimate the power of decorating your binders or notebooks. A little can go a long way, so, if possible, get supplies that match your style.

Now that I have explored ways to romanticize the overall school experience, I will now shift the focus to tips for romanticizing studying: 

1. Setting the Scene 

To study effectively, it is important to ensure that you have a good working environment. For most of us, this means having a desk or table. However, you could go above that and add in personal touches to your environment to make the process of studying more enjoyable.

I personally really enjoy lighting scented candles as I study, as it gives my study space a warm glow and nice scent. I have also put photos and figurines on my desk to make it more personalized. 

Alternatively, you could consider studying outside of your usual workplace for a change of scenery and to fully maximize your enjoyment. You could study in cute cafes and libraries, to give yourself that ideal “main character moment.” 

2. Consider Playing Something in the Background

Although I would not advise watching movies or TV shows in the background while you study, I do feel that having something playing in the background helps me study. Though this isn’t my preference, I have many friends who enjoy watching “Study With Me” vlogs on YouTube whilst studying, feeling more motivated and responsible whilst studying “with someone.” You could even find videos where you study with fictional characters like Rory Gilmore! I also enjoy listening to lofi beats while studying, to make a calmer and more relaxed environment. 

3. Use Apps to Your Benefit 

Do you long to travel to far away places instead of being stuck doing schoolwork in your room? Well lucky for you, there is a website that allows you to do that! Through one of my favorite apps, lifeat.io, you can enter and choose from a wide variety of spaces created by other users. These spaces are videos submitted by users, and they range from fictional spaces (from movies and shows), scenery, pets, cafes, and libraries, “studying” with idols and characters, and so much more. The website also has a bunch of handy features such as a to-do list function, a timer, and the ability to connect to your Spotify. 

Another one of my favorite apps is “Virtual Cottage,” which is downloadable through Steam. As the name states, you can study in an animated virtual cottage. In this small yet cozy cottage, you study alongside a cartoon girl, and you get the choice between having a dog or cat as an accomplice.  This app also has some of the same handy features as Lifeat.io, including a timer,  lofi music and a to-do list. 

4. Recording Time-Lapses

Recording time-lapses is something I find greatly increases my motivation and productivity. This is for several reasons, with the most prominent being that recording a time-lapse on my phone means that I am unable to be distracted by my phone. In addition, being filmed can serve as a strong motivator. The presence of the camera can give you a sense of accountability, encouraging you to stay focused and diligent throughout the session. 

I also find that watching the time-Lapses of myself studying is an extremely rewarding and satisfying experience, and I often rewatch old time-lapses when I am low on motivation to remind myself of what I am capable of. 

And that concludes all my personal tips for romanticizing school and your studies.  I hope these tips help you as much as they helped me and I wish everyone good luck in their studies!