Music vs. Silence

Whaddup readers?! This is Moiz coming to you via the new and improved UTSC Pulse Blog. I was asked to introduce myself in a short paragraph but personally, I’d like to think I’m a little (or a lot) more complex than a short paragraph! Anyway, my name is Moiz and I am a first year Neuroscience student at UTSC. I’m into performing/writing poetry and spoken word pieces so I figured being a blogger would be a perfect way to get my thoughts and pieces out there. I’m also a huge sports-fan, I love playing/watching just about any sport you can name (try me). You’ll be hearing from me every Thursday on this very blog! Agree or disagree with what I have to say? Have an idea that you'd like me to blog about? I am open to all kinds of feedback and questions so feel free to leave whatever in the comments box below! That’s enough about me; let’s get into what this blog is really about.

Listening to music while studying or doing independent work: some people can’t live without it and some can’t live with it. Personally, I am a music-junky. Music is what helps me get through those long and boring school days, those days where it seems like nothing is going my way, and even days where I’m just happy for the sake of being happy. It puts me into my own little world away from the distractions/stress in real life.

When it comes to listening to music while doing work or studying, I’ve heard the arguments go both ways. I realized the beneficial effects music had on me a couple of years ago. I was playing COD on my PlayStation and my parents had recently given me an iPod. I decided to listen to music half way through my game and after a couple of minutes I noticed a distinct difference in the way I played. It was as if I were more relaxed and less hesitant with what I did. That’s when I realized that music helped me relax and kept me distracted from outside distractions (does that even make sense?) which ultimately kept me focused on the task at hand. So basically, being distracted from distractions lead to me being more focused (yes, it makes sense to me).

On the other hand, I’ve heard people say that they absolutely cannot listen to music while they study because they get too caught up in the music and can’t focus on anything else. It didn’t make sense to me at first but eventually, I realized that everyone is different. Everyone has a different way of learning, studying, thinking, etc. If something such as listening to music while studying can produce great results for one person, the same thing could produce negative results to another. It all depends on how their mind reacts to what’s being thrown at it.

This is not only the case for students but for the average everyday worker as well. Listening to music while working has been shown to increase an employee’s production and even enlighten his/her mood.

Now, the type of music you listen to all depends on personal preference. I, being the music-junky that I am, love all types of music. Although I do lean towards Hip Hop, Rap and RnB, I open myself up to all kinds of music that either I can relate to or just groove to. People often ask me how I listen to Hip Hop and Rap while I study because a lot of people believe it’s loud and obnoxious. I understand where they are coming from but it’s actually the opposite. Rap and Hip Hop can be thought-provoking and easily related to by everyone.

The results you see will depend heavily on your personal tastes. Experiment with the types of music you listen to during certain tasks. Through trial and error, you’ll eventually discover your optimal soundtrack. I’m always looking for new concentration aids, so I’d love to know what type of music or other technique works best for you. It might not seem like a big deal, but listening to music can change your state of mind, causing changes in mood and productivity. 

For me, music has become more of a lifestyle. Happy Listening!

Moiz’s quote of the week: “headphones on, world off.”

My Current Study/Work playlist:

Mr. Nice Watch – J. Cole

Dollar and a Dream III – J. Cole

Cole World – J. Cole

Gone – The Weeknd

Loft Music – The Weeknd

Northern Wind- City and Colour

One and Only- Adele

I want you back- The Jackson 5

Do you listen to music while working? Why or Why not? If you want me to check out specific playlists/tracks you have for studying or working, leave them in the comments below!