Music with no vocal tracks can help students while they study for mind-numbing finals.
The start of December not only marks the beginning of the end of the calendar year, but Fall Semester as well. With finals week looming ominously, students are cracking open their buried textbooks for the first time, taking shots of espresso like it’s Fireball Whisky and foregoing personal hygiene as a mere afterthought.
So, while you are elbows deep in pages and pages of facts and theories, do yourself a favor and turn on some music. In my experience, not only will listening to music make it easier to learn things you’ll probably never apply in real life — I’m looking at you plant biology — but it will also drown out your roommate’s blaring 2K14 game that makes you contemplate whether you’re in your dorm or sitting courtside next to Drake. It’s a small change that can go a long way to keep you focused and entertained through tedious and demanding memorization.
Some of the best music for studying is music that easily fades into the background. It’s rather difficult to remember all the triggers for the subjunctive tense when Young Thug is pleading you to pass him the hookah or when Jeezy is recalling that one time where he killed the club. Lyrics, whether sung, rapped or screamed, tend to jostle for the listeners attention, distracting them from committing famous 19th century sociologists to memory. Instrumental genres are key to unlocking a successful study session.
For hitting the books, ambient and jazz have always been my go-to genres. It’s nearly impossible to not be focused when you have dreamy, warm, atmospheric tunes swelling through your headphones or the soft pitter-patter melody of Duke Ellington tapping away on his piano over some beautifully muted chords. Specifically, these two styles of music offer a relaxed and serene vibe that would make even the most nervous test-taker feel at ease.
For ambient music, Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, Tycho, and Com Truise are among the top artists the genre has to offer. Some of my favorites, such as cool jazz musicians like Charles Mingus, Ellington, and, of course, Miles Davis tend to do the trick just as well. Yet, both of these schools are rich in depth and deep cuts, allowing either of them to act as a soundtrack for your Red Bull-induced read-a-thon.
However, these are not the only genres that pair well with preparing for the dreadfulness of finals week. Classical music is always an option and seems to be one of the more popular choices. Building off tenets of classical and rock, post-rock is an interesting genre that provides reverberated landscapes reminiscent of a solemn apocalypse — think Wagner but with effects pedals — that’s perfect for the quiet despair you feel while realizing that you’re totally f--ked. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sigur Rós, and Explosions In The Sky are some good names to look up on Spotify if you’re not feeling classical, but want the same vibe in a 21st century manner.
Yet, if you’re a person who can’t stand instrumentals and must have lyrics, old and new school R&B is a great way to employ music to stay on task while simultaneously alleviating stress. Who could be worried about finals when you have Marvin Gaye in your ear singing about peace, and shit? Couple Marvin with Miles and you have a concoction so potent that you’ll have the confidence to pass any final.
Whatever music you choose to listen to, just remember that’s the important thing. Music possesses soothing and healing qualities capable of mending any wounds that intense preparation might inflict on your info-addled, over-crammed brain. Always remember that regardless of what you get on your finals, if Young Thug and Jeezy could become successful rappers, you should be fine with whatever you’re working toward.
Luke Furman is a freshman studying journalism. Email him at lf491413@ohio.edu or find him on Twitter at @LukeFurmanOU.
