studying with a pinterest purpose

on motivation, perfect handwriting, and twenty different colored highlighters

Search “notes aesthetic” or “study aesthetic” on Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, and find endless content that makes studying seem beautiful. It falls under just one section of the whole “romanticizing your life” ordeal. It’s a necessary part of a student’s academic career, and obviously not the most fun aspect. But add twenty colors of Zebra Mildliners highlighters lined up meticulously next to notes with the most flawless handwriting and impeccable diagrams, something about it can seem so ideal.

pinterest proof

It certainly worked on me. I first clicked on “StudyTube” (study + YouTube) videos at eleven years old, and became obsessed. My sixth grade notes suddenly needed to look absolutely exemplary. I practiced my handwriting by printing out templates of my favorite StudyTuber’s handwriting and stared at Pinterest photos before writing anything down. Even my tests took me twice as long to finish because I was carefully lining up my letter height with a ruler. The aesthetic drove me into my academic obsession, but my learning suddenly became overtaken with the image of perfection. If my notes weren’t flawless, I would have to start over. I needed every single highlighter, pencil, notebook, and pen that my study influencers were using.

Again, searching these study things on any social media platform will come up with copious amounts of photos of notes and desk setups. You can see consistencies in most photos— Zebra Mildliner Highlighters, Muji pens, Kokuyo Campus Notebooks. Most posts won’t fare well without a key trending stationery item. Even more pricey is the iPad Pro, a more recent addition to the list of study essentials. With these ever-growing needs to apparently effectively study, the action becomes rather expensive. But online, the best of the best own these items, and to thrive, I must own them too. It becomes more than a necessary action, but a lifestyle to conform to. 

Aesthetic study photos are good for the initial motivation. Studying can seem exciting again, with all your fancy new stationery to play with. But motivation will fizzle, and the new stationery will become old. As with most “romanticizing your life” ideals, beautiful images of other people doing what you aspire to can give you the boost to get started. But as with most online things, it’s a slippery slope. The look of the content you’re studying does not equal the content you’re absorbing, making the time you’re spending inefficient. If you can’t find motivation in your education’s importance, a new pen won’t fix that.

But I also must admit I just bought new Kokuyo Campus notebooks in bulk. They’re my favorite.