With only a month left of school, we need to focus on finishing the year on a good note. I have about five projects due in the near future, and the library has become my second home. For those of us who need music to help us push through our studies, it is really important that the music we are listening to is something that will help us focus on our work, not distract us. I made two short playlists of acoustic and instrumental songs that might help to ease your mind and maintain your focus.
Photo courtesy of @betulvargun via Flickr
Acoustic/Chill
These songs are mellow and make the atmosphere calm. I listen to these comforting songs when I am writing in my planner or going through emails. Some of them are by my favorite musicians, and I love all of them for individual reasons.
– Autumn in New York by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong – Foolish Love by Allman Brown – I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie – Like Real People Do by Hozier – Portrait 19 by The Paper Kites – Roslyn by Bon Iver and St. Vincent – Slow It Down by The Lumineers – Slow Life by Grizzly Bear and Victoria Legrand – Volta by O Terno – Youth by Daughter
Photo courtesy of Orion Carloto
Instrumental
Some people cannot study while listening to music with words. I am one of those people. If I am trying to write an essay, listening to lyrics will just distract from the words Iam trying to read or write. These instrumental and classical songs always help me to maintain my concentration.
– Always Summer by Adrian Johnston – Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy – Dawn by Jean-Yves Thibaudet (“Pride and Prejudice” Soundtrack) – Day One by Hans Zimmer (“Interstellar” Soundtrack) – A Gathering on 57th by The Paper Kites – On the Nature of Daylight by Max Richter – Petrichor by Keaton Henson – Rêverie by Claude Debussy and Alain Plains – When Ginny Kissed Harry by Alexandre Desplat (“Harry Potter” Soundtrack) – You by Nils Frahm
Lastly, if classical music is not your thing, you should try instrumental music that is more upbeat. I often just search YouTube for lo-fi/ambient beats because there are plenty of livestreams and playlists that are created solely for the purpose of studying and relaxing.
Photo courtesy of @jordancox via Flickr
Good luck to you on finals! I hope a few of these songs can help you succeed, or even help you create ideas for your next study playlist. No matter what genres of music you love, creating a playlist of music that you enjoy can be a great way to stay busy and on task.