Picture this. The guy sitting next to you is smacking on his gum. Girl across from you is singing out loud to “Let it Go” from Frozen. At a table to your right, a guy is tapping his pencil continuously on the desk, munching on popcorn as if the library was a movie theatre. And then there’s the table to your left, with the group of students that obviously came to the library to chitchat the day away, not to study. You’ve read the same line in your textbook about 50 times now, and you can’t seem to focus with all this background noise.
It’s finals week, and sometimes, the smallest things can tick you off. This includes noises that distract you, especially when you’re in the library. You came here to study, not to have to listen to the boy next to you go on and on about how wasted he got the night before. So what do you do? Plug in those earphones, tune out and study on.
However, this isn’t the time to jam out to Pharrell Williams and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” This is a time to listen to music that will help you be more productive, less distracted and get work done. When you find that perfect song that helps you study, it motivates you to keep going.
Throughout dead week, I went up to people and asked them what kind of music they listened to when they study. I got a compilation of different types of music. Check these out, because I didn’t know of most of this music until these people introduced it to me, and I’ve definitely started listening to all of these while studying now. And hey, maybe this is a perfect time to take a break (let’s be real, you’re only here because you’re procrastinating), and spend a couple of minutes (or hours) listening to new music!
1. Speaking of “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams, here’s a musical group called Vitamin String Quartet. They make a wide variety of music using just string instruments. From Coldplay, to Kanye West, to Bon Iver, Lady Gaga, etc etc, the list truly is endless. Definitely check them out. Suggested by freshman Emily Muller.
2. I’m one of those people who just can’t multitask. If a song starts to play while I’m studying, I find myself paying more attention to the song than to what I’m trying to study. But the only artist that I’ve found to help me the most without distracting me is the one and only John Legend.
3. For some people, the rain can really relax and calm you. While studying, go on this website, and let the rain take your mind off of everything else. This will surely help you imagine yourself studying, curled up in your own bed, with a cup of coffee, and not in the dreaded library. Suggested by freshman Melanie VandenBerghe.
4. For all you Harry Potter fans out there, this is what helps freshman Hannah Quitugua study. And yes, this is the whole soundtrack – the full 9 hours. So study away potterheads.
5. Maybe this generation’s music just isn’t cutting it. Classical music, such as Beethoven, is what helps freshman Jacky Engle concentrate on her work. #throwbackthursday
Here’s a really nice modern classical piece as well.
http://8tracks.com/mindsgoingblank/midterm-survival-guide
6. Lana del Rey – suggested by freshman Lydia Edwards.
7. Ed Sheeran – suggested by freshman Charline Baum
8. The Legend of Zelda (For you video game lovers – we know you’re out there) – suggested by freshman Dylan Ring
9. Ratatat – suggested by freshman Nick Jaffe
10. Jack Johnson – suggested by freshman Sarah Zerga
11. Whitesnake – suggested by freshman Kevin Hegyi
12. El Ten Eleven – suggested by freshman Ariana Brandao
13. The Lord of the Rings Soundtrack – suggested by freshman Mike Miller
So don’t try to slap that pencil away from the guy who keeps tapping it on his desk; instead, put in your headphones, zone out, study hard and ace those finals!