Hey fellow music lovers! I’d like to formally introduce my new blog, Music Monday. I will include interviews with local artists, new and upcoming artist to look out for, playlists to start your week right and anything else that I find an inspiration to me, and in turn you.
For my first post, though, I thought I might provide a little insight on the psychology of music and why it can be so beneficial.
It’s a common misconception that because, “College holds the best years of your life,” then it must also be the easiest, right? WRONG. For myself and most students, college means moving away from our homes and lives we’ve always known, to be a part of a campus with 60,000 thousand other students all trying to figure out what the hell we’re doing with the rest of our lives. And if you choose a major you don’t like, well get ready to start all over (and good luck paying for that fifth or sixth year of school). With the burden of choosing a career path, we are also trying to discover who we are as individuals away from our parents, as well as who we want to be when these four or five (or six years) finally end. In laments terms: COLLEGE IS OVERWHELMING.
With all that in mind, I have some research that will ease your mind. Several psychological experiments have proven that listening to positive and upbeat music can affect the mood you’re in and your overall perspective on life, reduce stress, increase serotonin levels and motivate you.
If you don’t believe me, I encourage you this Valentine’s week to listen to one of my very favorite songs that never fails to make me feel light-hearted, optimistic and grateful for my amazing parents: “You and I” by Ingrid Michaelson. If you’re a single betch this Valentine’s Day, don’t knock it before you listen. There is a pretty beautiful message to be heard if you listen to the lyrics. That’s my favorite thing about music: everyone hears something different. Granted lyrics stay the same, but depending on where you are, you may hear a completely different message than someone else who listens to the same song.
So, along with listening to some Ingrid Michelson, my homework assignment for everyone is to check out the band Two Door Cinema Club. When any of their songs from their album Tourist History pops up on Pandora, I can’t help but turn it up and be in a motivated mindset. Enjoy!