When you’re studying at University level, it’s not unusual for the practice of studying to feel difficult and unpleasant. When you’re trying to process the same information over and over again it can seem monotonous and rather bleak, but there are plenty of ways that you can romanticize studying so that it doesn’t have to feel like that! So here are a few things you can do to make your process of studying far more enjoyable!
Setting
Setting is incredibly important, if you’re just in your bedroom or class it’s not going to excite you and encourage you to enjoy your studying. So instead, go to a place such as a café, bookshop or library to engage in your studies. Most, if not all, cafés have great ambience (and internet connection), utilising the University or local library means you can access research resources, and bookshops with seating areas just have a great vibe! I would especially recommend the Waterstones café on Lincoln High Street, it’s a great place to study!
Music
If you’re like me and can’t focus on studying if there’s background noise or other distractions, then having a music playlist at the ready will really help! You can of course make your own playlist of your favourites, but I often like going to Youtube and seeing the playlists others have made – I often like the very specific ones, like “studying in the library with ghosts at midnight” or “bookshop ambience noises”, they always really help me focus (and feel more sophisticated) when I’m studying.
Friends
Studying may feel like a lonely process, but it really doesn’t have to be! If you make an effort to get your friends together and have a study session, it will make your studying far more enjoyable and productive. You can bounce ideas off each other, help each other if everyone’s struggling with different things, and ultimately it will make you feel less stressed knowing that you’re not alone with all your studying. Also, it doesn’t need to be a formal meeting! You can gather at someone’s house, have drinks, sit on the floor, and just take it all one page at a time!
Social Media Documentation
Something I’ve found I love is seeing people make fun, aesthetic TikToks or Instagram reels of their studies, editing them into the style of dark or light academia, and posting them for everyone to see. Something about integrating a fun, video-making aspect to my studying suddenly made it far more enjoyable. It gave me something to look back on, marking my progress and confirming what I’d achieved that day or week, and it always makes me feel really good about myself! So give it a try, document your studies, and let yourself bring a little light fun into it!
All of these methods have helped me with my own studies. Leaving the house in particular, separating my home from my work, has really helped me feel more eager to study. With the setting of a café, an ambient playlist, spending time with friends, and making fun social media posts, I’ve easily been able to romanticize all the aspects of studying, from reading to my eventual assessment writing! So give these a go, and happy studying!
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