By Sam Danzig
With midterms quite literally upon us, it is vitally important that students have some way of managing their time, stress, and the endless number of assignments that they seem to have. It can be overwhelming to commit to long study sessions with few breaks, but what’s something that can calm me down without wasting too much time?
Music is an amazing tool for managing stress in general, but often goes hand-in-hand with school work itself. Music you may listen to everyday is more upbeat and not conducive to focus, whereas studying music is calmer, quieter, and natural. Close your textbooks, laptops, and really dedicate some time to finding a quiet space where you can be alone and undisturbed for the most part. The rocking-chairs and cool corners all around campus are perfect for this set up.
The most important step is to tap out. Try your best to forget about what you have coming up immediately. Really sit and let your mind flow with the music you’re listening to. There’s something incredible about listening to some slow piano or light percussion while letting your mind focus. Think of it as a reward for your hard work, and I promise you will feel much better about the assignment you are tackling.
Listening to music in this regard is all about regaining control when your mind is racing and you feel as though the walls are closing in. Despite it being a bit colder, sitting outside with music and rocking back and forth has allowed me to really scope out what I have coming up. Try it yourself, and I promise you will be pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of this technique!
