Bored With Studying On Your Own? Join Others Online To Study

It is normal to have no discipline to study at home. Most of us detest studying for our exams and we often associate it with unpleasant feelings such as inertia and lethargy. With COVID-19 cases surging around the globe, most of the schools have to be closed, and we have to resort to e-learning platforms. Naturally, without an instructor or professor breathing down your neck, you would be tempted to slack off and play computer games instead. In a bid to break the monotony of studying at home, some YouTubers have started live-streaming their study sessions. They hope to ease the loneliness of studying alone. 

Her videos are interspersed with the sounds of her pencil scribbling across the paper or accompanied by relaxing classical music. Her “Study With Me (2.5 hours) | Real-Time Pomodoro Style!” has amassed over 900k views, which means that she is doing something right. She also provides useful study tips and tricks in order to maximize your study sessions.

Her videos provide a frank and uncensored insight into the life of a college student, with topics ranging from mental health, studying tips, and tricks to university life, with a no, holds barred approach. She projects a very raw and unfiltered vibe, which is probably what draws viewers to her. To date, one of her most popular videos titled:” Real-Time Study With Me *with break* 💪 2 Hours of Productivity & Motivation”  has accumulated over 1 million views. The sound of her soothing voice and the rustling of her papers provide some much needed ASMR.

If you are a girl studying in the STEM major, you would be able to relate to Heleen. She is a chemical engineering major. If you are a bit masochistic, perhaps, you would be interested in her “8 HOURS STUDY WITH ME” which is a literal studying marathon session. (Not clickbait!!!) She will put the most studious and hardworking students to shame!

Studying with YouTubers is akin to forming your own study group where you study alongside your peers. With a study buddy or companion, you would experience a much-needed dose of motivation and energy. Also, you would feel less tempted to slack off since you and the YouTubers would feel mutually accountable for each other's study progress, or lack thereof. This is despite the fact that they can’t see you physically. 
 

 On the other hand, this would not work for everyone. For some people, they could get distracted by the kinesics of the YouTubers fidgeting and moving around on their laptop screens, especially if they are visual learners. If you have some form of misophonia, the sounds of the pens scribbling furiously on paper may irritate you and become unconducive for you.

If you like to study with music, opt for classical music instead of heavy metal music or pop music. It is best to refrain from listening to music with lyrics as you might end up paying attention to the song lyrics instead. Classical music has been shown to be relaxing and calming, which enhances the productivity of your study sessions. 

Switch your phone off or turn it to silent mode, and mute all notifications. Abstain from looking at your phone every now and then as it can be distracting. 

Set small incentives for studying. For example, after a grueling one-hour long study session, you could reward yourself with a small chocolate bar or a 10-minute gaming session. 

Identify your learning style. If you are a visual learner, having visual aids such as mind maps and diagrams would be greatly beneficial. If you are an auditory learner, perhaps you could record yourself reciting your notes and listen to it. Some online videos related to your course of study may serve to further enhance your understanding of the topics.

Studying alone may be a herculean task as some of us might end up procrastinating our study sessions and doing nothing. However, there are ways to make studying more interesting for yourself. We hope you have learned some key takeaways from this article!