Studying with Music: Yea or Nay?

Written by Grace Canlas

Study checklist: 

  • Textbook       ✓
  • Notebook      ✓
  • Pencil             ✓
  • Highlighter    ✓
  • Flashcards     ✓
  • Laptop           ✓
  • Music             Debatable.

There have been multiple reports published surrounding the topic of studying with or without music. But to be honest, these publications have not proven useful in settling this academic controversy. It seems as though the first half of the reports claims that studying with music is the “secret sauce” for extra brain power while the second half of the research states that studying with music is essentially selling your soul to the demon of distraction. This disagreement can be observed among classmates, friends, and even siblings. Indeed, I am speaking from experience. 

I always love grabbing a study room in Purgatory (the second floor of Mossey Library named in honor of Dante’s Divine Comedy) with my older sister. It gives us the opportunity to spend some time together while simultaneously being productive in our studies. However, there have been a handful of occasions when our study sessions have gotten a little heated thanks to none other than music. 

I am an individual who cannot, and will not, listen to music when I study. My sister, on the other hand, is a person who has an array of classical music playlists on her phone designed specifically for studying. As you can imagine, this has led to some extremely informal yet very passionate debates. Our study room has turned into a contentious courtroom as I desperately try to reason with my sister to shut the groovy music off while she tries to persuade me to just let it be. I have provided a summary of our respective arguments (hoping to find support for my side of the debate):

My arguments against studying with music:

  1. My study session will inevitably transform into a world-tour concert or dance party, which I am pretty sure is listed as the antonym of productivity in the thesaurus. 
  2. How am I supposed to hear myself think when the sound waves of classical music are constantly bouncing around in my brain, additionally causing my head to bobble around uncontrollably? 
  3. When I am studying with music, my eyes are forced to compete with my ears for the attention of my brain, causing what I read and write to take twice as long to process. 

My sister’s arguments for studying with music:

  1. Study with music drowns out other distracting noises such as constant chatter, loud typing, and clicking pens.
  2. Listening to music makes reading three textbooks and writing two essays much more enjoyable than just doing so in silence. 
  3. Music helps the time pass by more quickly, causing the five hours spent studying in the library to feel like only three. 

At the end of the day, it’s important to create a study system that works for you. Just remember to add headphones or earbuds to your study checklist in case you find yourself in the company of someone who does not share your opinion of studying with music (especially if it is your sister).

Grace Canlas, ’27, is a prospective English major and military history and grand strategy minor. When not studying in the library, she can be found practicing martial arts or laughing with her family and friends.

 

 

 

Published in November 2023