Tumblr, like Twitter and most forms of social media, has the epic capacity to become a black hole from which there is no return. When I decided I wanted to make a bigger difference in my community and began to take social activism seriously, Tumblr was where I started and grew my home base.

Laying in bed and reblogging photos of inspiring tattoos, anything Steven Universe-related, and pretty much all things queer stole countless hours from me. Most people recommend that I avoid Tumblr like the plague now that I’m returning to school for the first time in eons. To those people, I have a one-word answer – studyblr.

I discovered studyblr’s – study + Tumblr – a few months ago when considering applying to nursing school. I searched the internet for tips and tricks to ease myself back into the swing of things when that hashtag popped up.

The rest is history. The studyblr community comprises users who post pictures of their desks, notetaking and studying tips, and other study-related things.

The best part of all this is that scrolling through all these artfully crafted photos makes me want to start school sooner so I can participate! I want to try the Cornell notetaking system, I want to buy thousands of Zebra mildliners, and I want to decorate tons and tons of flashcards. It’s very hard to remain uninspired when you’re surrounded by photos of other people in the same boat as you and kicking so much butt while they’re at it.

Contents:

The Pros:

Here are some benefits I’ve noticed since creating my studyblr:

I am no longer as anxious about starting school. There are tons of people out there dealing with a very similar reality, and they own it. I am not naïve enough to think that it will be easy, but there’s a ton of encouragement available.
I want to start taking notes and studying so I can make mine as pretty and organized as the ones on the internet. It’s not the best motivation to excel, but I will take every single one I can!
Everyone is nice! There are real people behind these photos, and most of these real people are genuine and easy to talk to. I’ve messaged a few people just telling them that I like their blog and have gotten some pretty sweet responses. It’s pretty sweet.
The internet is huge, and the studyblr community is pretty large. With the number of people online, it’s very easy to find someone in your major with specific resources for you. I scroll through the #nurblr and #nurseblr hashtags daily, which helps keep me focused and driven.

The best part of the whole thing is it’s super easy to get in on the studying magic. It doesn’t take knowledge of coding or a giant social media following – all you need is a bit of motivation and drive to ace every subject you encounter. It doesn’t matter where you are in your studies – whether you’re a high school student or a grad school student, you’ll find a community here.

So How Do I Join?

First, you need to make a studyblr. There are tons of articles on creating a Tumblr page, so I won’t bore you with unnecessary details. Go to the Tumblr website, create an account, pick a name (preferably something related to studying or school so other people will find you) and pick a theme. Presto! You have a studyblr.

Next, you want to find some blogs to follow. This will fill your feed with lots of cool images and articles that you can like and reblog to your followers. I searched “studyblr” and followed the five they recommended. I then continued to follow people from my interactions on the site and other recommendations from friends and Tumblr itself. Here are a few of my favorites:

Finally, build your family and get yourself some followers! I find that an introduction post with a photo of your study space and a quick blurb about yourself is the fastest way to get noticed. Using hashtags effectively will put your posts to the forefront and help others find you.

My favorite hashtags are #new studyblr, #studyblr, #studyspo, #study blog, and #studying. It’s pretty obvious, but hashtags help Tumblr categorize and group like posts, so you want to get creative and use relevant ones as much as possible.

Now Be Social!

Don’t forget to talk to people! Don’t be shy. Send random hellos to people whose blogs you appreciate and follow. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Share original content – take photos of your notes or share tips and anecdotes. Followers will find you and appreciate the resource you have to offer.

I am not naïve enough to think that a studyblr is the secret to my graduating college, but if I can find a supportive group of people to chat with and make pretty notes simultaneously, then I’m all for it. I think all students can benefit from some inspiration now and then. If you want to come to hang out on my studyblr, check it out here!

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