Many high school students enjoy listening to music, whether it be Taylor Swift, Drake, or The Weeknd. There are hundreds of genres of music, and many people argue about the best genre of music to listen to for studying. Should it be music that you enjoy listening to? Music with words? Music without words? Piano music? White Noise? Or maybe no music at all?
On Spotify, there are hundreds of recommended study playlists from random users on the web. Some have instrumental music, some have chill music, and some have lo-fi beats. My personal favorite artists to listen to while studying are Frank Ocean and Bon Iver because I like the soft, slow beat, which helps me study. I also enjoy listening to artists like Madison Beer and Taylor Swift because they have albums that have a more relaxed undertone, which is not too distracting when I am doing my homework.
According to Healthline, many researchers have found that music actually helps engage the brain while studying. Yet, some psychologists from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Texas A&M university state otherwise. They believe that although music can make studying enjoyable, it is more of a distraction to students than an aid.
Personally, I find that music such as classical and lo-fi helps me focus the most when I am cramming for an exam. Of course, it is a given that sometimes it is more enjoyable to listen to Taylor Swift’s new album instead of Beethoven and Bach’s pieces.
Sophia Jones (10) says “I enjoy listening to music when relaxing or working out, but when it is time to go study I put my music and airpods away so I can lock myself into my work. I just feel like it is less of a distraction for me.”
On the contrary, Savannah Cheng (10) is the opposite. She explains how “I think music helps me focus more. It keeps me focused and sometimes when I am trying to memorize something, I read the words to the beat of the song to help me remember it better.”
According to a survey done by the College Rover team, looking at 1,025 students aged 18 to 23 about the music they listen to while studying. The survey revealed that Taylor Swift is the favorite artist of students who have high GPAs. About 30% of the participants preferred her music over other artists! I guess Taylor Swift really is a “Mastermind”!
