Advice From An Unaesthetic Student

By NJ

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“You need to put in more hours if you want grades!”
“How dare you watch so much youtube?”
“You are far too invested in other things.”
“Your school is starting no more Disney plus.”
“Your OCD will ruin your grades.”

Grades, School, Grades, School, Grades, School, Grades and even more school. Honestly… I hate it. I really do. I would love to say my notes look like the ones from the studygram community, but mine don’t - mine usually look like I was writing notes and then fell asleep. The fact is- I am a ‘bad student’. But what is a bad student? Is it bad Grades? In my opinion- no. I think consistency is what defines a student. Do you study daily? Do you do your homework on time? Do you get grades consistently? These more often than not define how “good” of a student you are. Now, I will admit, personally I don’t think there is anything called a good student. Everyone is different and to say that you can assess someone’s intelligence by a bunch of numbers on a paper is idiotic. But unfortunately, we all have to navigate the traditional educational system. 

In less than ten months my 12 year long academic journey will come to a close, and while I may not have been the brightest, I have learned some things that I would like to share, because honestly, it hasn’t fully set in for me just how much I have changed in the last 12 years. I went from the girl who cried everyday morning and ran after her mom in first grade to who I am now. I won’t say I am better now, but the changes have been profound and it’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that it's all coming to a close. As each university application opens it's a reminder of just how much time has passed.

So, on to my “advices”

Be consistent  - When it comes to homework and classes, the saying ‘better late than never’ just doesn’t apply. So staying on top of your work starts from being consistent. Have some homework? Do it today. Essay is due in 5 days? Split your work into 5 and finish them up. Something that I think people don’t admit enough is that school is all about getting things done. Studying is VERY important, don’t get me wrong, but in the end if you don’t have the work to prove it, it's all unfortunately pointless.

Pay attention in class - This might seem obvious to some, but it's honestly surprising just how much information your brain is capable of storing when you just listen in class. Listen to lectures, record them if your teacher’s have no issues with it (this applies mostly to students in undergraduate degrees but if your high school teacher has no issues then why not?) and replay it. Now, with the pandemic, it's easier than ever for you to record your sessions (If your classes are on teams and your teacher is recording, then your should automatically have a copy of it available to you for downloading)

Keep your own detailed personal notes - Is this extra work? Yeah, it is. But I swear to god it took twelve me years to finally find out just how useful writing your material is. Trust me, it will help you. I usually read through the notes my teacher uploads for us and our textbook and combine it to form my own notes, and oh my god it's so useful. For twelve years I have resisted doing this and I feel so dumb.

Make use of google tasks - Honestly fairly self explanatory. It's a great tool that is both free and available to anyone with a google account. It's also connected to your google calendar so it will even remind you of it in case you forget. Another great tool is an app called minimalist. It's simple and has a clean interface that comes with timers and a pomodoro timer incase you enjoy that method (with customizable time limits) I found this app through a youtuber and I’ll link a few of my favorite study/notetaking based youtubers at the end of the article. (none of the links given or apps mentioned are sponsored. I just really enjoy using them!)

Don’t do what people say works. Do what works for you. - This is maybe counterproductive to the whole point of this article, but it's so important. Just because pomodoro works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for you, and it's not your or their fault. The fact is all our brains work in different ways and that is perfectly fine. Personally, pomodoro doesn’t work for me because I am easily distracted and would simply end up studying for 25 minutes and then goofing off for 5 hours.

Here is a video that I think is really important - my least favorite study methods + why.

Don’t focus on the aesthetic. Focus on the content you are actually learning - I think that over the years, having aesthetic notes and these very specific and pretty expensive art supplies have been given far too much importance. But nothing is further from the truth. I was inspired by a youtuber studyquill to include this point because it's honestly so true. Focus on what you are actually learning versus what it looks like.

Here is the video that inspired me - are these studytube trends overhyped? 🍵 my hot takes on ipad pros, kankens, mildliners + more

While she mentions some things she does like, you absolutely do not need any of these things to be productive.

So that's it to be honest. Just remember to work hard but also take care of yourself. In case you are interested, here are a few studytubers to check out when you are on a break.

Studyquill - studyquill - YouTube
Studytee - studytee - YouTube

Another quick reminder that while yes, these studytubers are really aesthetic, it doesn’t mean you absolutely have to be as well. You don’t need these supplies or a stunning handwriting (I don’t have one) to be productive but they are fun to watch though !

At the end of the day, be sincere, honest and a good person and focus on your studies but don’t sell your mental or physical well being for it. (but don’t hide behind those excuses though, you still gotta work hard.)​