Student influencers: the good and the bad

TikTok gives us an array of media to access, and one that resonates to university students specifically is ‘StudyTok’. Whether you like this content, don’t like this content, or are a student influencer yourself, it is hard to not find yourself consuming it and comparing yourself to these study influencers. Whilst the content can motivate students and promote positive study techniques, it can also lead to toxicity through its unrealistic standards. 

This leads us to question, are student influencers and platforms such as ‘StudyTok’ practical and motivational, or is it toxic and performative?

Here at The University of Warwick we have a handful of student influencers. Second year psychology student known online as Rowan Emily, 20, has told The Boar her opinions, advice, and experiences as a study influencer. Rowan explained that she started posting daily vlogs during her GCSEs which both her friends and people online enjoyed. She suggests that people had a special interest in gaining motivation. This theme continued into A Levels due to students having “similar interests”. However, whilst her content “naturally transferred” at university, it felt different due to “navigating the balance” of the new lifestyle, and due to these new experiences she began posting more varied content.

She also comments on how “performative intellectualism is such a big thing” within the content that student influencers produce

These varied experiences that Rowan mentions shows how university content can sometimes be difficult to relate to due to differing courses and universities. This then feeds into the problem of unrealistic content that students consume, making it hard for them to relate to it and feel fulfilled in their own studying. She also comments on how “performative intellectualism is such a big thing” within the content that student influencers produce. This type of content creates these unachievable expectations for students and incorporates a measure of toxicity. Not only do these unrealistic videos of performative intellectualism make students feel as if the work they do is not enough, but there is also a sub-genre on ‘StudyTok’ specifically catered towards ‘toxic study motivation’, which further pushes this negative perception that students place on academia and allowing for studying to become a competition. 

Rowan reminds students that “you have to understand these are thirty-second videos” and whilst “consuming” you have to be honest with yourself. She does however find that the ‘StudyTok’ community is beneficial for inspiring others and sharing academic tips. 

Whilst the aesthetic of studying can potentially be performative, it does promote a positive attitude onto studying

Students feed off this “comparison trap” that Rowan says is not always “sustainable”, leading them to present a frequent display of performative intellectualism. In comparison to this, Rowan makes it a priority to create “authentic” content which “inspires people” instead of “comparing themselves to me”. However, ‘StudyTok’ is not completely full of toxicity: whilst the aesthetic of studying can potentially be performative, it does promote a positive attitude onto studying. Rowan believes that ‘StudyTok’ gives an accessible way to connect with other students, especially when we no longer have that connection with teachers like we did in secondary school. 

Overall, it is important to understand the content that you are consuming, the context surrounding it, and the performativity of some creators. 

Finally, Rowan gives advice to Warwick students for the summer term. For first years, she reassures and reminds you that “first year doesn’t count for a reason” and it only acts as a “practice” for you to grow into your studies. She also points out how you should be “taking yourself out of situations” and not to lock yourself in the library for hours on end. Rowan notes how “Warwick has balance” and perfect “green spaces”, such as fields and walks which will help you to decompress during exam season. It is also good to take advantage of the access to Leamington Spa, Coventry, and Birmingham as they all offer enjoyment outside of your studies. 

A key takeaway to remember is that student influencers have a direct focus on studying as it is what their content centres around, therefore their accounts will be saturated with productivity. It is important to sometimes remove yourself from the content you are consuming. It is good to take motivation and inspiration from these creators, however you should not compare yourselves as everyone goes through varied experiences in university.