It’s the least wonderful time of the year! That’s right…finals. The last couple weeks of the semester can be very stressful, what with studying, tests and finalizing travel plans. With all that stress, it can be easy to forget that the holiday season is right around the corner. So, to help get in the holiday spirit or rev up those study habits, here’s 10 songs to listen to while studying for finals:
1) “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey
The ULTIMATE Christmas anthem! You can’t spell Christmas today without Mariah Carey. This song is great for karaoke or dancing around your room by yourself (You can debate if the Justin Bieber version is better than this one or not, that’s up to you)!
2) “This Christmas” by Christina Aguilera
Aguilera’s 2000 version of this holiday classic is great for a study break. It was featured on her one and only Christmas album 18 years ago and it still holds up today!
3) “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by *NSYNC
The nineties were a great era of music, as evidenced by artists like Destiny’s Child and an artist formally known as Kanye West. Uber-famous boy band *NSYNC dropped this party hit in 1998, one of just two songs on their Home for Christmas album. Who wouldn’t love jamming to baby Justin Timberlake at Christmastime?
4) “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber
This song needs no introduction. While we await new music from the Biebs, reminisce life before finals with this middle school Christmas classic.
5) “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson
The queen of American Idol’s “Wrapped in Red” album is on my personal top 10 list of holiday music; each song makes you feel like you are in a winter wonderland! If you want a song that makes you excited about seeing your family for the holidays, this is the one!
6) “What Christmas Means to Me” by 98 Degrees
Catch Stevie Wonder’s original version of this holiday classic during the famous bed jumping scene in Elf!
7) “Jingle Bells” by Michael Buble
The “King of Christmas” rings in the holiday season with this upbeat jazz version of ‘Jingle Bells’.
8) “Hallelujah” by Pentatonix
If you’re looking for a slower, more melodic vibe this holiday season, Pentatonix’s cover of this timeless song may just be for you. The cover appeared on the group’s first Christmas album in 2016. It featured covers of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” (yes, the same one as earlier).
9) “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano
Wanting to visit another country this Christmas? This international single has become one of the world’s most popular Christmas songs!
10) “Last Christmas” by Ariana Grande
To round out this list, Ari’s take on “Last Christmas” is so upbeat and airy, it’ll almost make you forget you are studying for finals….almost.