- You just made it through 16 weeks of school, one more week will be a piece of cake. Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, but speaking of cake…
- Comfort food always is and always will be there for you in your time of need. This includes but is not limited to: Ben and Jerry’s, cookie dough, Hershey kisses, Oreo’s, Goldfish, M&M’s, Insomnia Cookies, pizza, french fries, or pretty much any kind of greasy and/or sugary item does the job. Because as a wise philosopher once said, "Calories don't count during finals week, right?" Right.
- You are a week away from having almost a month off for winter break when you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and with whomever you want to. This can range from sitting in your room watching Netflix and not getting up unless your house is on fire…all the way to hitting up the clubs in the city with your crew night after night. Either way, good times are just around the corner. Keep this in mind as motivation.
- Remember that this is the LAST time you will ever have to see those teachers you despise or sit in classes that put you to sleep faster than a dose of NyQuil. Buh-bye first semester schedule, I will not miss you, and everything you put me through.
- The library is your friend, if you let it be. For most of us, we are #blessed to have unlimited access to a gigantic library to do our school work at (and by gigantic, I mean I get lost in mine every time). TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. You are paying thousands and thousands of dollars every year to go to school. Live it, breathe it, sleep in it. Even make it your second home. The library is the perfect quiet space to study and help you ace those final exams. So be sure to use it!
- We have just entered the BEST month of the year--Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, the list goes on. December is ALL about celebrating. There is so much to look forward to and get excited about. Not to mention all the presents that you're getting for basically no reason. So no matter what you get on your finals, you deserve to celebrate being finished with that first semester!!! It may take a Hanukkah miracle for you to pass them all, but hey, if the Maccabees can get through their struggles, so can you. Don't let finals kill those holiday vibes.
- Because coffee exists. If you’re not a coffee drinker, I am truly sorry, and you should probably convert to this religion ASAP. But if you are, you understand EXACTLY the importance coffee plays in one’s life. When it’s finals weeks, there are NO rules when it comes to coffee. Drink that coffee morning, noon, and night. Add those expresso shots. Do what you gotta do because let’s be real, sleep is for the week when finals week is over.
- Everyone around you is enduring the same pain that you are. So complain together!!! Ugh, every time I open up the textbook for this class, I think about how I want to stab myself in the eye. Repeatedly. And then stab whoever created this week of hell for me. Thoughts of dropping out of school start setting in. Don't worry, this is natural. The best way to cope is to let out all of your frustration because no one feels you more than your fellow classmates.
- Think about the actual hardest part of your academic career. Yes, I’m talking about the daunting college application process. Now look at yourself; you’re here. You got into the school of your dreams. If you can get through that, you can get through ANYTHING.
- Live by this statement: grades are NOT everything. Yes, grades are important, and yes, grades impact our lives, but do not revolve your entire life around grades, because there is more to life than numbers and letters and GPA's. One bad grade does NOT define you, no matter what anyone says. There are certain things that will ALWAYS define you--like being a good friend, daughter, son, sister, brother, and PERSON. And if you can remember that, then you will get through finals week like a champ. Now go make finals your b****.
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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
StableDiffusion
The Illusion of Creativity
AI-generated music is often marketed as “artistic” or “educational.” But what does it really teach?
- That style can be replicated without understanding.
- That emotion can be simulated without feeling.
- That effort can be bypassed with a prompt.
For young creators, this sets a dangerous precedent. Why learn to play guitar when an algorithm can do it faster? Why study harmony when AI can generate chord progressions in seconds? The risk isn’t just laziness — it’s the loss of depth, discipline, and the tactile joy of creation.
I have listened to several AI-generated music covers. My initial reaction was one of considerable impressiveness, particularly regarding the reimagining of classic pop hits in diverse genres with novel arrangements. Here is one good example a-ha — Take On Me
However, after engaging with several such Ai generated song covers, a sense of emotional detachment emerged, attributable to the perceived absence of human artistry and genuine sentiment, resulting in a technically flawless yet ultimately soulless auditory experience.
Copyright in Crisis
What does the copyright law say about AI generated music, especially in field of music covers. Who is liable for copyright in this case, AI developers, people who used AI to generate music or people who published it on music platforms?
Recent lawsuits show that the music industry is pushing back hard:
- Universal, Sony, and Warner sued AI music platforms Suno and Udio in 2024 for allegedly training their models on copyrighted songs without permission Ars Technica The Lyon Firm.
- They’re seeking up to $150,000 per infringed song, arguing that the AI outputs resemble famous tracks and voices (e.g., Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson).
- These lawsuits target the developers of the AI tools — but they raise broader questions:The legal gray area is training data. Courts haven’t yet ruled definitively on whether using copyrighted songs to train AI counts as infringement or fair use Sites at USC.
But who’s liable?
Role | Legal Risk | Why |
AI Developers | ✅ High | For training on copyrighted material without licenses. |
Users | ⚠️ Moderate | If they intentionally recreate protected works. |
Publishers/Platforms | ✅ High | For distributing infringing content. |
The grey area lies in training data. Courts haven’t yet ruled definitively on whether using copyrighted songs to train AI counts as infringement or fair use. Meanwhile, AI-generated works themselves aren’t eligible for copyright unless a human provides substantial creative input — leaving them in legal limbo.
The Educational Mirage
Some argue that AI music helps people learn genres, production styles, or vocal techniques. But this “education” often lacks context. It’s like learning to paint by watching a printer — technically impressive, but creatively hollow.
True musical education involves:
- Struggle and iteration: Learning through mistakes.
- Emotional connection: Expressing what words can’t.
- Cultural lineage: Understanding the roots of sound.
AI shortcuts bypass all of this. And in doing so, they risk flattening the rich terrain of human creativity into a sterile landscape of algorithmic mimicry.
Why This Fight Matters
This isn’t just about music. It’s about the future of art, storytelling, and human expression. If we allow machines to dominate creative spaces, we risk turning culture into content — optimized, monetized, and devoid of soul.
We must ask: Do we want a world where art is made by machines, or one where machines help humans make better art?
5 Key Takeaways
- AI-generated music blurs the line between innovation and erosion in the creative arts
- AI-generated music raises questions about copyright, culture, education, and artistic expression
- AI-generated music can replicate style without understanding, simulate emotion without feeling, and bypass effort with a prompt
- AI-generated music sets a dangerous precedent for young creators by potentially leading to a loss of depth, discipline, and joy of creation
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