If anyone is going for the gold in studying, it’s Boston College students. In order to survive the work-hard, play-hard mentality, everyone has a pretty strict study method. From specific locations to certain coffee orders to maintain the adrenaline, a routine is often established to keep up with a never-ending workload.
One of the most—if not the most—crucial aspects of a routine is music. We spend so much time grinding assignments that your study music often becomes your music taste, skewing Spotify Wrappeds every year. So a person’s study music can tell you a lot about them, including their broader music habits, personality, and even attention span. That being said, here’s what your study music says about you.
Lo-fi/Ambient Music
If you listen to lo-fi to study, you’re laid-back and creative. The library’s quiet is too silent, but the hubbub of the world is a little too loud. Your genre of choice is the perfect middle ground. Like your music taste, you understand the necessity of a work-life balance and a peaceful state that gets your energy flowing. You value a relaxed atmosphere and are fantastic at multitasking once focused. After you’re done studying, you’re always willing to lend a hand to help others decompress and complete their work.
Indie/Folk
If indie is your music of choice, you don’t like to conform. Like your music taste, you’re very introspective and love to explore the depths of both your own knowledge and your field of study. You love doing things your way but are always open to new ideas. Your study environment is cozy, and you definitely know where to find the city’s best coffee spots.
The same goes for folk. You appreciate authenticity and enjoy taking your time to truly understand the nuances of what you’re learning. Folk music is deeply rooted in personal reflection and storytelling, something you echo in your work. Folk and indie listeners, you shamelessly express who you are, and we love you for it.
Instrumental
If you listen to instrumentals to study, you’re an imaginative dreamer. You prefer that warm, musical sound to inspire your best ideas. Clarity is key in both your work and mental space, so you value a genre that lets your work flow without too much distraction. Creativity versus structure is a fine line that you balance flawlessly. And if you listen to film scores in particular, I know you’ve pictured your essay as the key to saving the fantastical world in your imagination. Hey, whatever works, works!
Rock/Rap
If genres like rock or rap are what you study to, you’re a pretty intense person. You thrive under pressure, and your best work comes just an hour before your assignment is due. The fast pace of the music propels you forward and matches your passion and determination. Your resilience is remarkable, and you often have sleepless nights to get everything done. Hopefully, the music keeps you awake enough that you don’t need another energy drink.
Classical
If classical is your study music of choice, you thrive in a focused and disciplined environment. You’re organized and wouldn’t be caught dead without your planner and a spreadsheet with every assignment since August. Both analytical and expressive, you can be in the library for five hours straight, no problem. You may be a bit pretentious, but you feel you have the right to be. I mean, how many people in their early 20s listen to Frédéric Chopin or Pyotr Tchaikovsky in their free time?
Pop
If you put on pop to study, you like to keep things light and fun. Like your music, you don’t take things all too seriously—in the best way. You don’t crumble under the pressure of an upcoming exam and know that no matter what happens, you’ll continue to have an upbeat, bubbly life. Studying is more a part of your routine than a do-or-die situation. You’re a social butterfly who finds motivation through the comfort of your favorite chart-toppers. Bonus points if your playlist is full of early-2000s hits.
No Music
If you don’t put on any music, there are two possible explanations.
One is that you need to be laser-focused, spending most of your study time locked away in Bapst. If this is you, you’re probably a very structured person who thrives on routine. You’re extremely motivated and won’t let anyone stand in your way. At the top of your class, you push yourself to get that grade for the future you want. This is very admirable, but remember, you’re allowed to have some fun along the way.
But if you listen to no music in noisy Hillside or the bustling O’Neill Reading Room, you’re doing more talking than studying. You’re the life of the party, waltzing into any room with charisma to match your intellect. How you have such confidence in your academic prowess is a mystery. Nevertheless, I’m both impressed and intimidated.
Whether you crave a focused, energetic, calm, or creative environment, it’s a bit of a window into who you are. So next time you’re studying for that midterm, take a second to think about what you’re putting on. What mood does that song put you in? Is it the atmosphere you need, or would it be better to spice things up? If you take a close listen, you can uncover a new facet of your personality through your study playlist.
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