E-learning platforms such as Coursera, Udacity and Khan Academy, and study-oriented YouTube channels may provide you with all the knowledge you seek. Online note-taking softwares such as Evernote and Google Docs may be used by millions for neatly organising notes. The 21st century study experience, however, is not complete without utilising Studygram.
Studygrams are Instagram accounts wholly based on motivating oneself to record productivity during a study session, and later review it as a community. Studyblrs which work similarly, are blogs on Tumblr.
Students all over the world, from the age of 13 up to doctorate levels, form a part of this supportive community. Studygrammers share artful notes and neat weekly schedules — be it for a class on game theory or art history. These virtual communities are the online equivalent of common rooms at Hogwarts. Students counsel each other through pesky exams and encourage one another to stop procrastinating.
Geek, the new chic
Emma, a student of philosophy, in the U.S whose studygram account is @emma_study08, has some interesting insights to share. “Studygrams foster a culture of personal growth and accountability. Since I record my work for my followers to see, I am motivated to work every day. Seeing other studygrammers hard at work serves as a source of encouragement. Moreover, I feel like it has helped me understand my course material better.”
“Social media has a bad name for lowering productivity and offsetting creativity, but studygrams prove the opposite,” says Abhirami Rao, a journalism student in India and a former studygram account-holder. “Studygram communities help students hone their interpretation skills. The current generation focuses more on synthesising and processing information, rather than merely memorising facts. Studygrams and studyblrs may even represent the nascent stages of a knowledge-sharing economy.”
Studygrams are not just for one kind of student. “Everyone needs inspiration to do something they find hard to do, and making notes is certainly a tedious job. Over time, you may even yearn to get back to your books, because you are no longer doing homework, but creating art!” says Elsa, a student from Dominican Republic and studygram account-holder. From to-do lists to bullet journalling, flowcharts, diagrams, flash cards and calligraphy, studygrams are a veritable organisational heaven. More importantly, these are no-judgement zones where everybody is helpful, supportive and genuine.
However, studygrams’ obsession with neat presentation might affect productivity. “Sometimes, I find myself paying a lot more attention to the quality of my presentation rather than how much homework I do,”admits Elsa.
For anyone planning to start a studygram, she suggests, “Be clear about why you are creating an account. Possibly, state your goals in your first post, so that you don’t become distracted by vanity goals that do not facilitate your broader ambition.”
