Curating the Perfect Study Playlist
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If you are anything like me, there is nothing more stressful than trying to study and not being able to focus. The mixed feelings of frustration and panic when it’s 11 p.m. the night before a big exam and your brain simply is not processing the words you are reading off the textbook page. The complete silence of the library that seemed so appealing earlier has now become your biggest obstacle, your brain filling the silence with deafening daydreams. But the solution is clear; put on your headphones, press play on your study playlist, and get to work.
Crafting the perfect study playlist is an essential tool for any college student. Music has been shown to improve focus, retention, and relaxation. When choosing what jams to blast through your AirPods, it would be best to avoid any songs with lyrics or a catchy tune. Your brain is already trying to read and write, so throwing in more words for it to process aurally would do more harm than good. However, even within the instrumental realm, there are many options to best satisfy your studying needs.
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Listening to nature sounds such as trickling streams or rustling trees has proven to help with cognitive function and focus. The pleasant white noise can both drown out distracting side conversations and fill silent voids, mimicking a sense of privacy that allows your brain to feel comfortable and clear. A study playlist full of forest sounds or beach waves would be an ideal accompaniment for a long day of uninterruptible studying.
Classical music is another great option to fill up your playlist. You have probably heard of Mozart, but have you heard of the “Mozart Effect?” This is the idea that listening to classical music is directly linked to increased general intelligence. Studies showed that people who were exposed to Mozart while taking an IQ test experienced an 8-9 point raise in their score. This theory is centralized on Mozart, but any classical music with long-term periodicity will enhance the brain’s spatial-temporal performance. Classical music triggers a dopamine response in your body that will reduce stress and improve your mood, making studying overall less draining.
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A good trick when curating your study playlist is to cap the length around 50 minutes. This will serve as a gentle reminder for you to get up, stretch, and take a break. Another way to signify that it is time for a break is to throw in an upbeat jazzy song every hour within your playlist. Jazz music helps to relieve stress and refocus the mind while letting your mind rest.
After a full day of studying with the same playlists on repeat, the last thing you probably feel like doing is pressing that play button one more time. Perhaps even just the thought of Mozart’s piano concerto is enough to make you want to throw yourself off a bridge. However, I urge you to fight this feeling. A Forbes study revealed that playing the same music that you studied earlier while you are sleeping allows your brain to subconsciously engage in targeted memory reactivation and results in better exam scores the following day.
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All of this being said, the most important factor when creating a personalized study playlist is that it works for you. Whether it be lofi beats or the Today’s-Hits radio station, it does not matter as long as it motivates you. But in case you are interested in the power of a well-crafted study playlist, here are a few album suggestions to get you started.
- Autumn, by George Winston
- Moonlight Piano Sonata, by Beethoven
- Piano Concerto No. 20 and 21, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Studying Music - Great Results, by Martin Anderwelt
- Symphony No. 25, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- The Essential Charlie Parker, by Charlie Parker
Strike Out,
Writer: Sarah Gibson
Editor: Breanna Tang
Tallahassee