By Sara Solimani, Opinions Editor
Many students at River Hill enjoy listening to music and talking about the new musical hits because it can help provide a get-away from the academic atmosphere around school.
Listening to music has always been thought of as a way to destress and to stay upbeat during the school day. According to Florida National University, a Stanford study found that “music moves [the] brain to pay attention.” Along with helping students stay focused, music can also be a creative outlet. Students enjoy keeping up with trends and waiting for their favorite artists to release their upcoming hits.
Staying up to date with and listening to upcoming music is one of the many ways of keeping up with trends. Sharing opinions and talking about how a song turned out is very popular among students as well.
Hallie Goldstein, a junior, shares, “I really like the song ‘Bang’ by AJR, it always puts me in a good mood. But a lot of people are really big on Taylor Swift, I’ll listen to it but I’m not excited about the new album.” Sarah Chin, a fellow junior, remarks that, “Right now, I’m really into beadaboo and Kpop because it’s really upbeat, so like TWICE and also BE’O just released a new album called FIVE SENSES.”
Students agree that listening to music has a definite effect on a person’s mood, whether the effect is good or bad varies with the kind of music they listen to. For example, happy songs can help a person stay energized or upbeat throughout the day. Hallie adds that, “Listening to music makes me happier, it’s fun to do and it’s relaxing,”
While, in contrast, listening to sad and gloomy songs can provide a negative and sometimes sleepy vibe. Cailin O’Keefe comments, “If I’m listening to a song I like, I get pumped up, but if I’m listening to a sad song I get all sad.” Along with this, Kaitlyn Mathew, a junior, says, “I like listening to music because it can calm me down sometimes,”
Students have their opinions on the effect of music on their focus in class but it can especially help students after school when studying. While some teachers don’t allow it, students still try to enjoy music at school. Creating playlists to study to can help them calm down and effectively look over notes.
Sarah continues with this notion, “For me it only works with lo-fi playlists and I suddenly get an urge to become really successful.” Although it works for some, Kaitlyn disagrees, “If I listen to music while I’m studying, I get really distracted,”
Staying current with new music trends provide for great conversation starters, discovering new artists, and keeping calm in the new school year. According to a study done by the New York Post, “Eighty percent of those who listen to music while studying agree that it’s therapeutic, and 75 percent said it helps them absorb information.” Listening to music can help students escape from academic stress, calming them down and getting them into a mindset to study for classes. Unwinding with music is a popular take among students.