It’s that time again. Midterms are right around the corner (even though we’re only one month in!) and we all need a little help diving into the books and doing some hardcore studying.
There are lots of awesome articles about study music that can help keep you motivated and focused during exam time, from instrumental music to ambient noise. But if you’re like me and none of that works for you, here’s a recommendation: Video game music is perfect for studying.
Video game soundtracks are designed to keep a player engaged with the game and focused on the task at hand, without being intrusive or distracting. They build as the game’s tension builds and work to add a subtle sense of urgency and motivation as the player moves towards the climax or final battle of the game. They also tend to just be really interesting pieces of instrumental music. All of that makes them perfect for studying!
Really any compilation of epic instrumental music will do. I personally have been using video game soundtracks and epic music compilations on youtube to study for years and can testify to their effectiveness.
I listen to the music at a bit of a lower volume so it’s not too distracting and it works really well in the background as something I don’t really focus on or realize is there. With the quicker pace of the music and the way it swells and flows, even if I don’t realize I’m listening to it, I find myself reading or writing really quickly because of the beat of the song.
It’s like studying for my history midterm has become an epic battle with that music in the background. It’s really motivating to listen to without being too distracting.
It might not work for everyone, because lots of people study differently and need different environments in which to work. I am a person who can’t listen to music with lyrics while I’m studying hard, because I get too into the songs and lose focus. I’m someone who can’t listen to ambient noise because it tends to put me to sleep, so this is a really good way for me to have background noise that is unobtrusive, upbeat — and helps me focus.
I have a couple of playlists on youtube I can recommend and use to study. Even if they don’t work for you, I highly recommend that you explore the option of video game music as a way to help you stay concentrated as you study for all your upcoming midterms. Give it a try: you just might find that studying becomes a little bit like going on an epic quest. Listen to the first one here and the second here.