This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DePauw chapter.
We all do it: put on that Ke$ha song when we’re getting ready to go out, Jack Johnson when we’re studying, and maybe even some Adele when we’re feeling a little down. It seems natural; our state of mind craves a melody with which it identifies. But, can we use this connection to our advantage? Absolutely! Here’s how:
Music sparks daydreams; it’s that feeling you get when you listen to a song and it triggers a memory from the past or an aspiration for the future. But what if you were trying to bring about a certain feeling or daydream? In her Psychology Today article, author Amy Fries says, “Many people tap into music both to inspire their imagination and boost their energy levels” (Fries 2009).
As students, music is perhaps one of the most underrated tools available to us. Let’s say that you have a midterm tomorrow but you just aren’t in that mental “study zone.” Instead of waiting around or giving up, plug into your study music and soon enough you’ll feel focused enough to pick up that dusty textbook. Sunny Strader, junior, says she loves studying while listening to the Bon Iver Pandora station and classical music!
So can this music-daydream connection really help us? Well, it helped Michael Phelps become the greatest Olympian of all time if that’s any indication. In an interview with NPR post-London Olympics, Phelps shared, “Whether it’s in training or whether it’s in competition, I think it [music] really just helps me sort of get in the zone and get focused and sort of help me get ready for what I’m about to do” (Chappell 2012). For whatever reason, music helps us “get in the zone” and accomplish our goals.
If you want to maximize your playlist potential, there are a couple ways to find the songs that motivate and inspire you.
- Tune into your favorite musical artist’s Pandora station to hear what music they enjoy
- Listen to songs already in your library. If you notice a certain artist or genre puts you in a specific mood, write it down to search similar songs later.
- Google it. This may sound strange, but many people share things like workout playlists online and what works for someone else might work for you!
After you have a decent list of songs, make playlists according to what certain songs make you think or feel. Study, work out, or party- channeling your daydreams is as simple as do, re, mi!
Sources:
Fries, Amy. (2009). How Music Feeds and Steers Your Imagination. Psychology Today.
Retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com…
how-music-feeds-and-steers-your-imagination
Chappell, Bill. (2012) Michael Phelps Exits The Olympics, And Enters Retirement at
27. NPR. Retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/blogs/theto…
michael-phelps-exits-the-olympics-and-enters-retirement-at-27