Create Your Perfect Study Session with 7 #StudyTok Tips

October 24, 2024 byConnections Academy

5 min to read

An online school student wearing headphones is using a computer in a room with purple ambient lighting and string lights in the background.

What does your optimal study set-up look like? A quiet, distraction-free space? A comfortable chair near a sunny window? All your textbooks, notes, and flashcards in a row? Highlighters in 10 different colors?

We’ve combed the #StudyTok community for the habits, workspaces, and snacks that students around the world lean on to do their best work. If you need some inspiration before your next study session, check out these TikTok-inspired tips to create a more effective and inspiring learning space.

1. Gather what You Need

A well-organized study space can increase productivity and concentration, so with the things you need to succeed like books, sticky notes, and writing utensils. But study tools don’t have to be all business. Personal items that help you settle into your space comfortably like earbuds, ChapStick, and your favorite study playlist make studying something you’ll look forward to.

2. Create a Relaxing Mood

Creating a space that can help make studying more enjoyable. Experiment with environments that help you feel relaxed and focused by playing with the lighting, bringing in aroma diffusers, lighting candles, or putting on relaxing music and sounds to help your brain.

But keep in mind that where you study is just as important as how you study. While it might be tempting to work from your bed, your brain is really good at tying specific locations to certain functions. Your bed is where you sleep and your body and brain get their rest, so connecting it to a space where you work might unintentionally disrupt your sleep patterns.

3. Feed Your Brain

TikTokers on #StudyTok are rarely without something to sip or snack on. Fueling your work with a snack or drink can help keep you motivated. Data shows that certain foods can give your brain an extra boost. Berries, for example, contain nutrients that increase mental performance, as does dark chocolate and other cocoa-based products, so let yourself indulge a bit.

4. Try Different Study Techniques

Whether you prefer to study early in the morning, late at night, or somewhere in between, finding study methods that work for your brain can help you absorb information more easily. Try the Pomodoro technique, the Feynman technique, active recall, or the Leitner system. Other TikTokers suggest trying the blurting method, where you write out everything you know about a topic without looking at your notes, then go back and fill in the gaps with details that need additional review. Feynman technique, active recall, or the Leitner system. Some TikTokers suggest trying the blurting method, where you write out everything you know about a topic without looking at your notes, then go back and fill in the gaps with details that need additional review.

5. Study with a Buddy

Studying doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Schedule time with a classmate or friend at the library or at a coffee shop. Even if you’re not studying the same topic, data shows that “body doubling,” or simply having another person with you in the same space while you complete a task can improve your focus.

Body doubling can take place virtually as well, so if you and your favorite study buddy don’t live in the same place, hopping on a video call might be the next best thing. You can also find videos online that let you sit in on someone else’s pre-recorded study sessions or work along with timers that utilize the Pomodoro method.

Rain and nature sounds are a common feature in study videos, and that may be due to brown and pink noise which can support concentration and memory.

6. Use Tech to Your Advantage

There are countless note-taking apps such as GoodNotes, Notion, and Evernote that can help you take digital notes, which saves paper and makes organization a breeze. By learning how to take notes digitally on a tablet, you can move sections of your notes around for easy grouping and even convert your handwriting to text.

7. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

One of the recurring themes of #StudyTok is to stay focused on your goals. Students showcase their endurance for long study sessions, detailed notetaking, and finely tuned organizational skills, all as motivation to keep them working towards their goal. Remembering what you want to accomplish and what you’re gaining from it along the way can help you stay keyed in and focused as you move forward.

More #StudyTok Tips for Students

Looking for more study tips for nontraditional students? Check out these top online study tools, or try out these study tips for students to make tough subjects easier to learn. Happy studying!