Studying. This is something that every student has to do eventually. Some might choose to study in the library. Others might find that they like studying in their dorm room or even their bed. Everyone does things differently. The questions is — who has it right? Which method of studying helps one achieve the greatest outcomes? Often times, students feel that listening to music while studying can keep them stay focused and on task. Is this method of studying it harmful or is it helpful to those practicing it?
I personally enjoy listening to music when I study because it helps me focus. I don't listen to classical music. I tried to, but it's not for me. When I'm studying I listen to musicians like Ed Sheeran or James Bay. I choose songs that I've never heard before so I don't end up getting distracted and jamming out.
When doing my research on this question there was some clear controversy on the subject. Each website said something different. While some said you should listen to music while you're studying, others gave specific reasons why it was a bad idea.
USA TODAY college said that even though listening to music is another form of distraction if you carefully pick the music you're listening to based on what subject you're studying, it can help keep you focused. Another suggestion from the article is that you should stay away from music with lyrics while you're studying for English. They talk about how the lyrics can really affect your reading comprehension. I have to agree with that because far too many times I've been writing while listening to music and found myself accidentally writing the lyrics to the song in my essay, or finding myself unable to productively write because my mind is not on my paper.
On the contrary to USA Today's article, "Don't Listen To Music While Studying" had an entirely different idea. The article starts off talking about the author and how he used to listen to music while studying in college. He thought that it helped him focus until he came across a study by Dr. Nick Perham. It discusses how music can actually interfere with your short-term memory which leads to an impaired performance on exams.
Well, now you have read ideas from both sides of the spectrum. Although, the question has yet to be answered. Is listening to music while studying helpful or harmful? In my opinion, it really depends on the person and their personal preferences. I know people who can study while listening to music, and I know people who cannot. The amount of articles that showed up when I googled this subject just proves how much this topic has been discussed over the years.
Everyone has their own opinion, so in that case...
What do you think? Can you listen to music and study at the same time?
