Who is Maybe Heilly?
Study content creator who made digital note-taking actually aesthetic. Her YouTube channel shows study methods that look good but also work in practice.
Maybe Heilly started sharing study setups a few years back when most study YouTubers were either showing messy handwritten notes or overly complicated productivity systems. She found a middle ground - digital planning that's organized enough to be functional but pretty enough to keep you motivated.
The channel pulls viewers who want to see how iPad studying actually works beyond the marketing videos. Real study sessions, actual note layouts, and the tools that make it happen without getting in the way.
What sets her apart is the focus on systems that don't require constant maintenance. The Maybe Heilly tools below are chosen specifically because they just work - no weekly reviews, no complicated workflows, just apps that help you study and create content about studying.
Digital Note-Taking Setup
Goodnotes is the foundation of the whole setup. Every study session, every planner spread, every bit of course notes - it all lives in Goodnotes.
She's using Goodnotes instead of Notability or OneNote for a few specific reasons. The folder organization is dead simple. The handwriting feel with Apple Pencil is smooth enough that taking notes doesn't feel like fighting the app. And the aesthetic possibilities are endless without being overwhelming.
Her typical workflow: import a digital planner template, customize it with stickers and text, then actually use it for study planning. The same planners that show up in videos are the ones she's actually using. No separate content creation setup.
Color coding is huge in her system. Different subjects get different color schemes. Study sessions versus content planning use different highlighter colors. Makes it easy to scan through pages and find what you need without reading everything.
People ask why not Notion. Honestly? Writing by hand helps some people retain information better. Goodnotes gives you that handwriting experience but with all the benefits of digital - searchable text, infinite colors, easy reorganization.
Creating Visual Content
Procreate handles everything visual that Goodnotes can't. Custom stickers, hand-drawn graphics, YouTube thumbnail elements - all created in Procreate first.
The brush engine is stupidly good for study graphics. Want a hand-drawn arrow for your planner? Draw it in Procreate, export as PNG, import to Goodnotes. Takes maybe 2 minutes and looks way better than using basic shapes.
She uses it for batch-creating assets. Spend an hour designing a set of study stickers in Procreate, then use them across multiple planner spreads for weeks. Way more efficient than designing things one at a time in different apps.
Pinterest is where visual direction starts. Before designing anything in Procreate or setting up a Goodnotes spread, she'll scroll Pinterest boards to nail down the aesthetic.
Separate boards for different content types. Study setup inspiration. Color palette references. Typography examples. Layout ideas. When you're creating visual content weekly, having a reference library saves hours of decision fatigue.
Content Calendar & Time Management
Apple Calendar manages the content schedule. Upload days, filming blocks, study sessions - all visible at a glance without opening five different apps.
It's intentionally basic. No fancy integrations, no automation, just colored blocks showing what needs to happen when. When you're juggling content creation and actual studying, simpler usually wins.
Different calendars for different areas. One for YouTube (filming, editing, uploads). One for study commitments. One for general life stuff. Color-coded so you can see at a glance if a week is too packed with filming versus actual study time.
The whole Maybe Heilly tech stack is built around this principle - keep tools simple so the actual work (studying and creating) gets the mental energy, not the productivity system itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maybe Heilly's Stack
What note-taking app does Maybe Heilly use?
Goodnotes is her main app for everything study-related. Digital planners, course notes, study session planning - all in Goodnotes with an Apple Pencil. The handwriting recognition is solid, and the folder system is simple enough that organizing notes doesn't become a project itself.
What apps does Maybe Heilly use for YouTube?
Her creative stack is minimal. Procreate for custom graphics and stickers, Goodnotes for planning content, Apple Calendar for upload schedules, and Pinterest for visual inspiration. Four apps total. Not filming or editing apps - those are separate - just the planning and design tools.
Does Maybe Heilly use Notion?
Nope. Goodnotes handles what Notion would do for most creators. The handwriting aspect is important for her - some people retain information better when writing by hand, even if it's digital. Goodnotes gives you that handwritten feel with digital organization.
What tools does Maybe Heilly recommend for study planning?
Based on her videos, the core combo is Goodnotes for planning and notes, Procreate for making it look good, and Apple Calendar for time blocking. Simple setup that doesn't require constant system maintenance. You spend time studying, not optimizing your productivity stack.
How does Maybe Heilly organize her study schedule?
Apple Calendar for the big picture (filming days, study blocks, deadlines), Goodnotes for the detailed daily planning. Calendar shows the week overview, Goodnotes planners break down each day into specific tasks and study sessions. Two tools instead of one complicated system.
What makes Maybe Heilly's tech stack different?
It's stupidly minimal for a content creator. Four apps. That's it. Most study YouTubers juggle Notion, Todoist, Google Calendar, and five other tools. She keeps it simple on purpose - when the content is about studying, the tools need to support that, not become their own full-time job to maintain.