Listen Smarter
By Shayla Ho
The Best Study Music Options
Is it possible to integrate something you enjoy – music – with something as boring as studying? Studying for school is sometimes stressful and draining. Especially if deadlines seem to be looming closer. Maybe you’d rather be listening to good music and humming along. If this seems to be the case, good news: doing both is possible, and according to some experts, beneficial.
To prevent distraction when studying, a student should choose to listen to slower, calmer songs. Songs with lyrics can make it hard to focus, which does more harm than good. A better choice would be Lo-fi songs. Lo-fi helps with focus. The melody combined with the softness of the beats makes for great background music. A few recommendations are:
When studying, listen on a lower volume. Pre-made playlists are good too.
Another quality option is classical music. Not only is it good for romanticizing studies, it has a scientific use. While pretending to be a rigorous, groundbreaking philosopher in the 1900’s, you can simultaneously train your brain to be more engaged. This can help while interpreting and digesting new information. Some starters are:
symphony num. 5 c minor (For competitive studiers.)
the four seasons (For when deadlines come closer and closer.)
Last but not least, binaural beats are of great use. Binaural beats are songs that have two tones, each having a slight difference. I suggest using headphones for these; listening to them through headphones gives the impression of hearing the music live. Binaural beats can help with anxiety and enhance cognitive focus. During exam weeks, relieving anxiety while studying can be very grounding. You can find playlists of these anywhere. A link is provided.