Midterm season has arrived and I know how difficult studying can get, especially when we are stuck at home where there are so many distractions around us. Having said this, I am here to suggest four different genres that you can listen to while studying.
Now, there is no scientific research that proves that genres like classical music or lo-fi music help improve studying skills but, after doing some research there are a lot of people who have seemed to study better with these genres. It could be a placebo type of situation but nonetheless, these people including myself have found studying to be easier when you are playing music that calms you or reminds you of a certain environment/feeling that makes you happy and focus better.
For starters, the first genre that I recommend is:
Classical Music
This genre is probably an obvious study booster but the calming instrumental sound of the piano mixed with orchestral music really makes you focus on what you are reading/studying. Of course, classical music is not a genre everyone loves but if it can help you focus, why not try it out for yourself.
I suggest listening to piano classical music rather than ragtime or jazz because those genres tend to be more upbeat and might make you want to dance or bop your head, which can lead to a distraction. However, if you find that piano music puts you to sleep, then definitely try ragtime or jazz. Two of my favourite instrumentals to listen to is any song by Yiruma. He is a South Korean pianist and you have probably heard his most popular song “River Flows In You.” And the second instrumental I love listening to is Studio Ghibli soundtracks because it reminds me of the happy, aesthetic vibes that the movies illustrate.
Here is a playlist that I have created years ago and have been using all throughout high school:
Lo-Fi Music
This genre is probably the most popular type of music that people listen to because of the famous YouTube account ChilledCow who created the “study girl” which was a playlist of lo-fi music. For those of you who don’t know, Lo-Fi means Low-Fidelity and essentially is music that has technical flaws like scratch noises, hums, background noises or distortions. A lot of people have been listening to “cafe lo-fi” music during this pandemic because it allows them to feel like they are at a cafe doing school work. Lo-Fi is a little more on the upbeat side but the mood it puts you in can result in some great study sessions.
Here is a Lo-Fi radio livestream by Chilled Cow that features the “study girl”:
Video Game Music
This is a genre that I kind of was shocked to learn that people study better with. During 2020 I saw a lot of people on TikTok (and my friend) who listened to Super Mario music in particular to get their studying done. After hearing the Super Mario game music, I can see why it is calming because it is just instrumental music. As well, people listen to music to put them in a good mood, so listening to video game soundtracks might allow them to have that same happy/calm feeling they have when playing games. Another video game that has a good soundtrack to listen to is Sims because it’s kind of cinematic but still with that upbeat, instrumental happy music.
Attached below is a Super Mario playlist that I found and listened to:
Your Favourite Music
As mentioned throughout this blogpost, listening to music can put you in a good mood so, if your favourite music has the ability to make you happy and still allow you to study, then by all means, listen to it. Personally, I try to avoid music I love when studying because it just makes me lose focus with the lyrics. However, I love listening to my favourite songs or artists right before studying or before I take a test because normally it calms any nerves down and reminds me of the first time I heard that song.
I hope this post was helpful and allowed you to find some good study music. As well, I hope you do amazing on all of your tests, assignments and extracurricular activities this semester <3
Stay safe and groovy!
