When we’re stressed, feeling down, or generally not in our best mood, we can always seek support from our best friend—music.
Music is versatile when it comes to benefiting us college students. Rock, punk, and alternative can get you pumped up and motivated for your heavy workload. The melodic tunes of pop music can immediately boost our happiness. Meanwhile, soothing classical music is a recipe for relaxation.
Playing music in the background while studying, doing homework, or writing an essay is an easy way to make those tedious tasks more enjoyable.
Sam Perez, a junior biology student, said, “Personally I like classical [music] for studying, as it prepares me for the heavy assignments and to set goals. I leave alternative and classic rock in my playlist for breaks in between and jam out.”
Commuter students can listen to music on their drive to and from school as a way to boost their mood for the rest of the day. Our favorite jams make a long commute so much more enjoyable. Rolling down the windows, whether you’re basking in the warm weather or letting the cool, refreshing autumn air slip in, is a great feeling for when we’re singing along to our jams.
Listening to live music is another super fun way to get rid of some of the stress that comes with college. Spending a night jamming to the sensational guitar, bass, drums, and vocals coming together in a concert may just be the best feeling ever.
Whether it’s at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park or an on-campus event hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA), the memories made at these concerts will keep your toes tapping and your soul dancing.
Music also has a unique way of inspiring us creatively, which can carry over into the essays and assignments we create for class.
The lyrics in our favorite songs can resonate with us deeply. If we are feeling alone, there are always emotional lyrics to relate to. One of the best things about music is that we can get pulled into a song on an emotional level, whether it’s a rock ballad with soft, slow beats or a piano-filled tune that has a special way of touching our hearts.
Perez said, “Since music is open to interpretation and everyone finds a connection with different tunes, you even learn a deeper hidden meaning behind other people’s stories. Students need this outlet.”
Often, it feels like there’s not a worry in the world to be had when we have our favorite song on full blast, motivating us to push through any challenge that comes our way.
The beautiful melodies in music can make us dance, sing, cry, or even all three at the same time.
Music can inspire us to pick up a new instrument and play along to our favorite songs or write our own—whether it’s the clean strums of an acoustic guitar, the powerful distortion of an electric guitar, the smooth tune of a piano, the resonant plucks of a bass guitar, or the fun beats of a drum set.
Music can benefit our brains cognitively, as well, whether we are playing an instrument or listening to tunes on the radio or our favorite streaming service.
Emma Greenspon, an Assistant Professor of Psychology who teaches a course titled “Psychology of Music,” said, “Music engagement tends to influence performance in tasks that are closely related to listening or performing music. This type of effect is referred to as demonstrating near transfer of learning.”
She continued, “When a musician listens to a song that he or she has already learned, areas of the brain involved in motor function are being activated in addition to areas of the brain involved in processing sound. In a sense, the brain is ‘practicing’ the learned piece of music even when just listening to the piece.”
Musicians and music lovers alike revel in the melodies of their favorite songs.
“It all comes down to utlizing music as a way to bond with others, concentrate, and relax,” said Perez.
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth University
