There's something about the quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) chitter-chatter of the library that disables me from studying. However, there's also something creepy and haunting about the dead silence found on the top floor of the library that impedes me from studying on a Sunday afternoon.
As much as I enjoy blasting my favorite rap songs while walking through campus, that simply doesn't cut it when it comes to studying. What does work, however, is the beauty of classical music.
Here's three reasons why you, too, should incorporate listening to classical music while studying:
1) Classical music places you in a heightened emotional state
While most of your favorite songs also activate a sense of heightened emotional state, the lyrics and higher range of beats per minute can distract rather than enabling focus. Classical music places you in a distraction-free emotional state that is more receptive to learning new information.
2) No sing-along
As much as I love mouthing along with my favorite songs, this completely interferes with the intake of information while studying. Whether it be math, chemistry, or english, the combination of musical lyrics streaming through your mind and the words or numbers attempting to be understood does not work. Classical music lacks any sort of lyric, and chances are you aren't completely familiar with the song, preventing you from focusing on the parts of the song to come.
3) Relax
Classical music is proven to help one relax: as a Russian study published in Human Physiology found, listening to classical music over a long period of time heightened relaxation levels in the human body. Following, this lowers levels of anxiety in the human body as well. This is extremely beneficial to those who find themselves becoming nervous and anxious while trying to study for a subject they've already labeled as "too difficult."
So, the best thing you can do for your emotional state and GPA is to save your favorite songs for recreational listening and for the weekends. Instead allocate classical musical to studying. There are thousands of classical music playlists to be found on popular music streaming websites and apps such as Spotify and Pandora.
I think Swan Lake might just be the next banger.
