Issues with the “Studyblr” Community

One of my favorite parts about the internet is the number of communities that are accessible to everyone. Anything that you have ever been into probably has its own little (or big) community of people who also like that very same thing. Most commonly, we know communities of music, television, film, and celebrities (and influencers), but there are so many that the list would be too long for me to talk about. I’ve been a part of online communities since a very early age, exposure to this lifestyle perhaps a little too early; over time I have both seen and learned from said experience.

A community that I want to focus on for a moment as I feel myself slowly slipping back into it during this pandemic is the “studyblr” community or the study community. The term “studyblr” itself derives from the days of Tumblr (not that it doesn’t exist anymore) when people would make Tumblr blogs dedicated to studying. I won’t be focusing on the blog part of the community since Tumblr, however it has expanded onto other social media platforms. You can find the community on the likes of Twitter with the tag “#studytwt”, Instagram with I’m sure many other tags as well, and even YouTube (StudyTube), there are people who have entire channels dedicated to giving study tips, and showing people what their best studying methods are. 

However, like everything, there are some issues within these communities. This is not uncommon, and I’m not the only one who feels this, as I have seen multiple videos of people explaining their issues with the community.  

The video that I most recently watched was from a channel called “tbhstudying”, which is actually one of my favorite channels. Her video was called ‘things that frustrate me abt the study community’, and she essentially lists things that she has found bothersome about the community as she experiences it herself and even at times is complacent. I’ll be listing some of the things she mentioned in her video as well as some of my own issues. 

1. Consumerism

Probably the most obvious one if I’m being quite honest, as it’s kind of impossible not to be complacent to consumerism since we all as a collective are consumers. However, there should be a line. Occasionally indulging in a couple of more expensive pieces of stationery is one thing, but firmly believing that the newest stationery is what makes you a better student and helps with studying is another. This is how you end up with a clutter of stationery that you haven’t even had the chance to use yet. It’s very easy to get caught up in feeling like these items are necessities that will make you a better student. I remember a lot of people on Youtube buying the newer iPads and the pencil and I started thinking that it was something that I should invest in because it seemed aesthetically pleasing and it looked like it worked for a lot of people. But one, I don’t have iPad money and two, it depends on what you’re studying. A lot of the study community consists of what looks pleasing to the eye and not what’s actually helpful.  

1. 24/7 Productivity

This one was something that I was vaguely aware of but it was only when tbhstudying pointed it out is when I realized how much that concept is shoved onto people. America’s favorite stories are ones of immense struggles and constant work, that’s how you show your worth. If you always work hard without pausing and struggle continuously, you will be rewarded. Eventually. Even if it doesn’t feel like it, eventually you will get to where you want to be, even if by then you are emotionally and physically exhausted, at least you’ve accomplished that thing you wanted to do. 

This is how you get people during a global pandemic telling you that this isn’t the time to be “lazy” and that this is the time where you need to be working your hardest, as if thousands of people aren’t dying everyday, the economy isn’t garbage, and the government isn’t doing the bare minimum to help through any of this. Clearly, that is not the case. Everyone works differently, people aren’t built for 24/7 productivity, there needs to be times where you can take a step back and relax. Especially right now, when people, especially students, are spending most days in front of their laptops, barely getting any proper interactions with people; there needs to be a time where you’re simply just being. Even if it’s just a little bit. 

1. Disregard towards learning disabilities

Maybe it’s me, maybe I haven’t done enough research, or perhaps, there aren’t a lot of study tips for people with learning disabilities. This reminds me of an article that I read by Holly Firmin, for Ebb Magazine, where they talk about the correlation between StudyTube and the fetishisation of productivity, and how StudyTube lessons about enjoying studying is really about quantifiable results, making it less about how to view the world differently or finding study methods that fit the person and more about “looking productive” and achieving the most. StudyTube is essentially there to market higher education, which as we know, is very bad at being accessible to students with disabilities. StudyTubers often talk about studying for an insane amount of hours a day (10-15 or more), and proceed to say that if you work hard, you’ll achieve things. Ask a person with ADHD, autism or dyslexia, to sit and stare at words for 10+ hours and they will laugh in your face. 

There is a pattern within StudyTube that most of the channels that promote constant productivity and lack knowledge in the existence of neurodivergent people, mostly because that doesn’t fit the aesthetics they are presenting as much. 

There are more issues with the study community, especially when it comes to who the face of these communities are (white, upper class, neurotypical, a “girl boss”), and there have been a few content creators who have noticed certain faults within the community, primarily when it comes to consumerism and how studying has become more of a marketing strategy than an actual way to help students who need studying tips and other advice. My hope is that with more people realizing the faults there will be more changes in the future when it comes to the study community. Until then, we suffer through the semester, together!

Here’s the link to the article about StudyTube: 

https://www.ebb-magazine.com/essays/studytube-and-the-fetishisation-of-productivity

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