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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at HWS chapter.

In my opinion, the key to crushing finals isn’t a good work ethic or a study schedule (although those do really, really help), but the right music. Here’s a guide to finding the right study/essay writing music for you (spoiler alert: you’ll probably have to do some trial and error; what works is very dependent on mood/personal taste):

  1. Classical music: the most widely loved-study music option, this is great for when you want to listen to music that makes you feels smart (fake it ‘til you make it) or just want the simplest option available. Most basic Spotify study playlists are full of classical music, like this one. 
  2. Soundtracks: action movie soundtracks are great to listen to when working under pressure, because they’re designed to produce adrenaline. This is great for when it’s midnight on Saturday and you have a final paper due on Sunday. Put on the music (my favorite’s the Wonder Woman soundtrack) and write like your GPA depends on it (which it does)!
  3. Repeated songs: this option is my go-to. I have a playlist that’s just two songs and, when I’m trying to concentrate, I’ll just play it on repeat for hours on end. In my opinion, you need songs that sound just alike enough that you don’t notice when the music switches, but different enough that you won’t actually go insane (my two songs are Jeremy Jordan’s cover of Radiohead’s “High and Dry” and AJR’s “Sober Up”—to be honest, they aren’t even that similar, the combination just works for me).
  4. Electronic: this is great for when you need instrumental music, but you’re too cool for classical. Play a playlist like this one and annoy the crap out of everyone around you at the library as you dance in your seat while flipping through flashcards.
  5. Ambient noise: sometimes music’s just too distracting, but you can’t deal with silence or the loud breathing of the girl next to you in the Blackwell room. For moments like these, use a website like this to create the perfect combination of background noise. Just be careful listening to this at night; it can be pretty relaxing and you don’t want to fall asleep and miss your morning final (my actual worst nightmare).
  6. Instrumental versions of your favorite songs: open up YouTube, type in any song title + “karaoke” and you’ll be able to listen to any music without being distracted by lyrics! Just don’t sing along on the third floor of the library.
  7. Africa by Toto: the perfect song for every occasion 
Mary is a senior at HWS and the Senior Editor of the HWS Her Campus chapter. An English major and Writing Colleagues minor, she plans to work in the publishing industry after college. On campus, Mary works as a student writer at the Office of Communications and is a member of the One-on-One Friendship Club. In her free time, Mary likes reading, writing, and running.
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