When you’re in university, studying is an unavoidable aspect of life. And oftentimes it can seem very mundane. After all, there are so many other things you’d rather do than sit down with a school book and take notes. But there is a way to make the task more enjoyable, and you’re going to learn what it is as I talk about how to romanticize studying in this post.
And by the time you’re done reading, you’ll be excited for your next study session!
What is “romanticizing” and why should you do it?
If you’ve never heard the term “romanticizing” before, it might sound a bit strange. But it’s basically just a way to make your life into a movie where you’re the main character! You can romanticize washing the dishes, going to a doctor’s appointment, eating a healthy meal, etc…
And the great part about it is that it allows you to reframe the narrative of tasks you don’t enjoy doing. Which makes moving through our daily lives so much more pleasant! Plus, it’s a fantastic way to feel more content with your life.
How do you romanticize studying?
Now that we’ve covered what it means to romanticize something, let’s talk about how you can actually do it. Specifically with studying…
Make Some School-Related Vision Boards
The first strategy you can use to romanticize studying is creating a mood board that captures the academia aesthetic! You could do this on Canva, on Pinterest, or even the old fashioned way (by printing out photos and gluing them onto a physical board).
But the key is to choose pictures that relate to your idea of the perfect studying aesthetic…
For some people this might simply be anything that gives them cozy university vibes; with photos of college campuses in the fall, cups of coffee beside school books, and autumn leaves falling onto a girl studying beneath a tree at the park. But for others it could be a more structured type of aesthetic; like light academia, dark academia, or even art academia!
This article has some great information about the various studying aesthetics, if you’re interested.
Create A Playlist For The Occasion
Next, you can create a playlist specifically for studying! Just hop onto your music streaming platform of choice and start selecting songs that inspire you to study…
Some people find that songs with lyrics distract them while they’re studying. But if you find that this is a problem then you could simply choose some instrumental pieces! In fact, some people even say that listening to classical music while they study actually helps them concentrate more!
And of course, if you don’t feel like making your own playlist, there are plenty of premade ones online. All you have to do is type in a quick search!
Find (Or Make) An Aesthetic Place To Do It
Now, another way that you can create the right ambience for studying is to choose the right location. Some examples could be a library, a cute café, or a cozy spot at the park if you prefer to be outdoors! And if you have an especially long study session coming up, you could consider switching locations halfway through to break up the monotony.
However, if there’s ever a time when you can’t go somewhere else to study, there are things you can do to upgrade the space you’re studying in. Such as lighting some candles, cleaning up any messes that are cluttering the space, and turning on that playlist you just found!
Study Around People
One great way to hold yourself accountable when you’re studying is to do it around people, especially if you’re in an environment where others are being productive. Because you’re essentially using peer pressure to your advantage!
There are two main ways to achieve this… Firstly, you could schedule a study date with someone you know. But secondly, if you do end up going to a location like a library or café, you’ll probably be met with other people who are using the exact same strategy as you!
And if all else fails, you may be able to create a similar effect for yourself by playing a YouTube video of someone else studying. There are plenty of these videos online, many of which last for hours!
Search For Some Inspiration
Now we’re moving onto a tip that has less to do with your environment, and more to do with your mindset… If you really want to romanticize studying, one great way to do it is to get inspired by someone else. This could be a real person, or even a character in media.
For instance, many people use Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls as their academic inspiration! Others may use Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, or even Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. Just choose someone who motivates you to study!
Once you’ve found them, try to consume content of them whenever you don’t feel like studying. Plus, you could even take inspiration from their aesthetic when building your vision boards.
Make It Into Content
And my last tip is to turn your studying into content. As a way to hold yourself accountable, and as a way to make studying more exciting! You can do this publicly or privately, it really just depends on preference. The result will be the same either way.
If you choose to do it privately, then you could record yourself studying and turn it into a time-lapse for you to watch afterwards. Or you could record a short video of yourself before you start studying, outlining your goals; and then record another video afterwards, sharing how much you accomplished. This is motivating because you won’t want to make a video where you admit you didn’t study!
Or, if you choose to do it publicly, you could start a study-related YouTube channel, TikTok account, Instagram page, etc… And then post all of your studying content to that. This is great because posting it for others to see will motivate you to do it, and it’s a great way to encourage yourself to make things aesthetic so that you enjoy it more as well.
Final Thoughts On How To Romanticize Studying
As you can see, there are many ways to go about romanticizing your study sessions. And there are many benefits to doing so!
So I hope you found this post helpful, and that you’ll try out this practice. Potentially in even more areas of your life than just your schooling… Because romanticizing the small moments can be such a beautiful way to enhance your day to day experiences.
