It’s no secret that the current world would be much different without music, and indeed not in a good way. Music can heal, inspire, and motivate, especially while under stress, a common psychological state many university students find themselves in. When the semester begins, assignments pour in like a waterfall, and for a student, that is overwhelming and can be challenging to deal with. However, it may be easier for some because they listen to their favorite music while completing their assignments.
AUA students are no strangers to rigorous courses that require immense effort and dedication, and they try their absolute best to receive good feedback on their assignments. Nairy Bzdigian, an EC junior, says her favorite genres of music are rock and rap, depending on her mood. On the other hand, she finds herself listening to classical and instrumental music while reading and writing, and her favorite artists are Ludovico Einaudi and Kitarō. Nairy also adds, “When I am researching, I listen to rock music which is kind of weird.” She emphasizes how music is a significant part of her life as she continues, “I listen to music 70% of my day. It helps me see life differently and enjoy everything even more.” Lastly, Nairy mentions that listening to music while working affects her performance; she works harder due to increased motivation and improves her work quality.
Florida National University’s research found that music reduces students’ stress, decreases their test anxiety, improves their performance and helps them focus more on their studies.
Ani Shahverdyan, a Business senior, has an entirely different taste. She says, “My favorite genre of music is alternative/indie and pop music,” and proceeds to bring examples such as Arctic Monkeys, The Neighborhood, Harry Styles, and Charlotte Cardin. Unlike Nairy, while listening to her favorite artists, Ani feels it can be difficult to concentrate because she gets distracted by the lyrics and the artist’s voice. While studying, Ani prefers to take the safer route and rely on her trusty playlist on YouTube titled Deep Music for Concentration. However, she feels that music positively contributes to the quality of her assignments, yet it might be a placebo effect that her mind produces.
Whether you conduct research, write academic papers weekly or solve math exercises, you can find motivation simply by listening to your favorite tunes, which will help you get closer to your goal and music can help the journey easier to go through.
So, the next time you find yourself swamped with assignments, put on your music and see whether it encourages you to get to work. Here is a playlist you can start with.
