Watching movies and TV while studying might not be the most effective method, but it sure makes it more enjoyable! Plus, films and shows can be a great reward after studying, keeping you motivated while in deep work. Learning techniques like Animedoro help many students stay on track with a unique reward system.
Searching for some new background chatter to enjoy while you’re working? Scroll down for 27 of the best motivational movies and TV shows for students!
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Table of Contents
- Best Movies to Watch While Studying
- Best Anime to Watch While Studying
- Best TV Shows to Watch While Studying
- Best K-Dramas to Watch While Studying
Best Movies to Watch While Studying
We’ve cherry-picked 14 of the best motivational movies for studying, from stories of overcoming adversity, to fun flicks about achieving career success. Check out these top movies to watch while studying!
Legally Blonde
Iconic rom-com Legally Blonde is super inspirational, even if it might not seem so on the surface.
Based on novelist Amanda Brown’s real-life experiences at Stanford, Legally Blonde follows fashion student and SoCal sorority girl Elle Woods as she attends Havard Law. It’ll have you tickled pink while teaching you to feel comfortable in yourself and not judge others by their appearance.
The Pursuit of Happyness
The Pursuit of Happyness shows that when the going gets tough, you keep going. This tear-jerking biography tracks the life story of Chris Gardner as he deals with poverty, caring for his five-year-old son, and achieving his dreams of being a stockbroker. Despite multiple setbacks, Chris never stops pursuing his dreams. It’s moving, heartwarming, and certain to keep you motivated.
Good Will Hunting
Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting is among the best motivational study movies of all time. It follows the story of Will Hunting, a self-taught yet troubled genius, as he navigates legal troubles, mental health, love, and unmet potential. Good Will Hunting is an intriguing and life-affirming film that’ll inspire you to rise to the top of your class.
Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society is about a renegade English teacher, John Keating, as he inspires students at a stuffy all-male boarding school. Another motivational study movie starring the late, great Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society, teaches students to follow their passions, discover their true selves, and “seize the day.”
Bonus: Flocus — Aesthetic Study Website
Complete with anime-inspired visuals and relaxing playlists, Flocus is the perfect study companion — a free browser-based dashboard for focus and ambience. Get motivated with dynamic greetings and inspiring quotes on the Home dashboard, and keep tabs on the time with the customizable clock.
When you’re ready to get down to some deep work, switch to Focus Mode to set your focus intentions and start your custom Pomodoro timer!
Hidden Figures
Loosely based on the nonfiction novel by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures is about three Black women working as mathematicians for NASA on the first American orbital spaceflight.
Having to overcome sexism and racism in 1961 America, Hidden Figures is a lesson in overcoming adversity and achieving greatness.
A Beautiful Mind
You’ll love A Beautiful Mind if you’re dealing with mental health issues while trying to make it through a tough semester. This is the Oscar-winning true story of John Nash, a Nobel Prize-winning mathematician diagnosed with schizophrenia around the age of 30.
A Beautiful Mind features twists, turns, and heartbreaking scenes that’ll inspire you to persevere despite your personal struggles.
3 Idiots
Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots is ideal if you’re searching for something a bit different for your next study session. This lighthearted film follows three college students’ experiences at an Indian engineering college. It deals with themes like love, overachieving, and troublesome teachers, with plenty of musical numbers along the way. With a message achieving personal excellence rather than chasing success, 3 Idiots is a film we can all get behind!
Our Little Sister
Heartwarming and with beautiful cinematography, Our Little Sister teaches the importance of acceptance and family. Three sisters meet their estranged half-sister at their father’s funeral and begin to build loving relationships out of their complicated family dynamic. Our Little Sister will leave you feeling all fuzzy inside and is the perfect comforting film for a laidback study session.
The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters is the true story of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson leading a Black debate team to the US’ first interracial collegiate debate at the height of Jim Crow laws in the 1930s.
Dealing with themes including widespread racial discrimination, lynchings, and the Great Depression, The Great Debaters teaches us that knowledge can overcome the greatest injustices.
The Princess and the Frog
Modern Disney classics are great accompaniments to studying, and The Princess and the Frog is among the best. It’s a twist on the classic tale of a princess turning a frog into a prince with a kiss. With themes such as internal beauty and achieving your goals through hard work, The Princess and the Frog superbly compliments studying.
Homeless to Harvard
Homeless to Harvard documents the life of Liz Murray, who rose out of a troubled household in the Bronx to earn a scholarship with the New York Times and be accepted into Harvard. Based on a true story, Homeless to Havard is the perfect uplifting movie to watch when you feel under pressure studying.
Super 30
Super 30 is a biographical account of mathematics teacher Anand Kumar, who coached underprivileged kids for entrance exams into India’s top technological institutes. The most powerful message of this hit Hindi flick? Strive for success, and you can accomplish anything, regardless of poverty or social standing.
The Theory of Everything
Stephen Hawking is one of the most inspirational figures and brightest minds of the last decade. The Theory of Everything follows Hawking’s early years at Cambridge as an astrophysics student and his slow deterioration due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The quote, “While there’s life, there is hope,” is a profound sentiment anyone can relate to.
Whiplash
Highly driven music students will find Whiplash a profound, if disturbing, watch. Andrew, a jazz drummer, attends an esteemed music school, where he signs a studio band. After joining, the band’s conductor, Fletcher, manipulates and abuses him.
Andrew’s single-mindedness about attaining greatness alienates his family and friends, even if he manages to overachieve and reach his goal. Whiplash is a sobering, inspiring story with an awesome soundtrack of classic jazz.
Best Anime to Watch While Studying
Anime movies can provide a pop of color and match your aesthetic while studying. Studio Ghibli films are among the best to watch, with their chilled-out stories and powerful messages. Here are a couple of the best anime to watch while studying!
From Up on Poppy Hill
Beautifully crafted anime is always great to watch in the background while studying, and From Up on Poppy Hill is among the best. In this anime masterpiece, high school student Umi bands together with her schoolmates to save her school’s historic clubhouse from demolition. The overarching theme of making way for the future by not dwelling on the past is relatable to many students.
Whisper of the Heart
Following the relationship between aspiring writer Shizuku and apprentice violin-maker Seiji, Whisper of the Heart is a story about young love as inspiration to find passion and creativity.
Fun fact: YouTube’s Lofi Girl is based on a studying scene from this Studio Ghibli classic!
Best TV Shows to Watch While Studying
If you’re looking for shorter stints, binge your favorite TV show while you work! Popular TV shows are excellent for studying — there are endless episodes and you don’t need to give them your undivided attention. Here are a few of our favorite TV shows to watch while studying!
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is perfect if you’re looking for a laid-back, cozy TV show you can tune in and out of while studying. The show revolves around Lorelai and her teen daughter, Rory, as they tackle relationships, business management, and attending college. With seven seasons and over 150 episodes, there’s no shortage of Gilmore Girls to keep you company while studying.
The Office
The Office offers laughs and heartwarming moments aplenty. Step into the office of Dunder Mifflin for the escapades of hapless manager Micheal Scott and his employees. Chances are you’ve watched The Office before, making it perfect background chatter for your study sessions.
Friends
Is there a more comforting sitcom than Friends? This classic show about six friends in NYC as they navigate their day-to-day lives is part of TV royalty. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen at least an episode of Friends, so it likely won’t steal your attention while cramming for finals.
New Girl
Who’s that girl? New Girl revolves around Jess as she moves in with three male roommates, dealing with themes like careers, relationships, friendships, and more. Offbeat and witty, New Girl will have you giggling while studying.
Best K-Dramas to Watch While Studying
With their gripping storylines and distinctive cultural situations, K-dramas are great to watch while studying. Plus, watching shows in a foreign language is less distracting and can even help you learn a few new Korean phrases!
The Queenmaker
Tense political drama The Queenmaker focuses on human rights lawyer Oh Kyung-sook’s battle to be elected as the mayor of Seoul. With the help of an influential fixer, she aims to take down her former boss. Themes of morality and corporate greed make this a hard-hitting show for any political major.
Start-Up
Set in a fictional Korean version of Silicon Valley, Start-Up follows a group of young go-getters setting up their own companies. Love triangles, business management, and societal expectations make this an interesting watch for any budding entrepreneur.
Itaewon Class
Itaewon Class sees main character Park Sae-ro-yi — with the help of genius Jo Yi-seo — take over a local restaurant and seek revenge against a corporation for his father’s death. Smartly written and inspirational for young entrepreneurs, Itaewon School will teach you plenty about the business world.
Law School
Students find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery in this unique K-drama. When an adjunct professor is found dead during a mock trial class, students at Hankuk University Law School must work together to solve the case. Studying law? Don’t miss this gripping K-drama.
The Glory
Chilling K-drama The Glory is the story of a former victim of abuse getting revenge on her school bullies by becoming a teacher at the school their children attend. Some scenes are based on the actual events of a group of South Korean middle schoolers who extorted and abused a classmate for several weeks.
Sky Castle
This dark comedy K-drama is about a group of upper-class parents living in a lavish neighborhood whose greatest aim is to get their children into top colleges at whatever cost. You’ll love this K-drama if you’ve ever felt the pressures of an uber competitive education system.
A-Teen
A-Teen follows the classic teen drama formula of six students dealing with romantic relationships and social situations. Check out A-Teen if you’re searching for a straightforward high school K-drama for studying!
What’s your go-to movie for study motivation? Let us know in the comments!
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