Now, there are many different kinds of people when it comes to revision. Some have TV in the background, some listen to the radio, some listen to their favourite tunes, some listen to classical music, and some need complete silence. For me, there’s a musical genre for every situation, to solve any problem, so here’re just a few tips for whatever kind of reviser you are:
Wordless music: Film soundtracks are a big recommendation from me. There is nothing much more motivating than a Hans Zimmer soundtrack – try some Inception or Shutter Island for a dramatic boost of inspiration to get you through the slog. Alternatively, you could go for something a little more soothing like the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack by Karen O and the Kids.
Chilled: Work stressing you out? Of course it is. Whether you need a calming sound to get you through some highlighting or flash card making, or music to listen to whilst you sip on a camomile tea and try to wind down, acoustic sounds are a good way to go. Either go for acoustic versions of your favourite songs, or opt for chilled out singers like Lewis Watson or Lucy Rose (Afternoon Acoustics playlist on Spotify is a personal fave).
Pumped up: When you start feeling super drained and like you just want to give up, you can settle for a third or just a pass, try these on for size; throwback to pop punk heydays with a bit of Green Day , Blink 182 and Sum 41; some motivational girl power from the likes of Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Charli XCX; or some classic feel good indie pop from The Wombats, The Kooks, Darwin Deez etc. Basically, anything you can dance to and give yourself an energy boost.
In any case, Spotify is your friend. Just get yourself into the Browse section and either select your mood or the genre you want, or get some inspiration from the playlists and make your own! (Other music streaming sites are available… just a disclaimer in case you thought I was being sponsored by them). And if you don’t like listening to music whilst you revise, just do what suits ‘you’. I recommend not bothering to research what ‘experts’ say about whether you should or shouldn’t, and what genre of music you should listen to to get the best results, that the media circulates every year when exam season rolls around. You know what works for you…good luck!
Sources
http://pattycastillo.weebly.com/
http://www.xyzmagazine.co.uk/brighton/xyz-reviews/live-reviews/lucy-rose-the-hope-july-30th
http://www.ploomy.com/2008/08/13/another-15-songs-to-get-you-pumped-up/
Edited by Amelia Bauer-Madden