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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Finals Fixat10ns: The Best (and Worst) Study Songs

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Throw on a pair of sweatpants, grab your 30-pound backpack, head to Lau, pull out a computer, slap in a pair of headphones, and (maybe) start studying — it’s a familiar routine during finals season.

And if you’re like me, you’re not only looking for your music to help you study, but also to distract you from those obnoxious whispering girls next to you, lift your spirits when the work gets too cumbersome, and provide a break from the monotony of Lau and study days.

So, here’s a list of music to help provide some extra motivation for you to finish that paper, memorize that vocabulary, or finish that last problem.

Best study hits:

Perth – Bon Iver Lead singer Justin Vernon’s voice is mesmerizingly beautiful. To be mesmerized further, here is the video from the Deluxe cover of the album.

Hell of a Season – The Black Keys With all of the nice spring weather out there, tt’s a hell of a season to try to stay focused. This song, released just this past week, should help.

The Mall and Misery – Broken Bells I wrote an entire paper to this song. It singlehandedly made me productive.

Citizen – Wye Oak Soothing voice, calming instrumentals, and great drumming. All you need to study.

Glowing Heart of the World – Calexico I find that any song that reminds me of driving alone down a desert road is suitable for studying.

Traveling at the Speed of Light – Joywave The band’s name describes this song: It’s a joyful wave.

Slowdance – Matthew Dear The more you listen to “Slowdance,” the more relaxed you become. Great for lowering your blood pressure.

The Birds Part 1 – The Weeknd Such a cool song. It’s genius.

Rill Rill – Sleigh Bells This song makes me want to study drunk. It is so chill.

Adieu – Coeur de pirate It’s easier to study when you don’t know the words to the song. Unless you’re from Quebec, you will probably not understand the song.

We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe) – Fun. Anything that Janelle Monáe does is infinitely better than what the Glee cast can do. I also recommend the acoustic version.

Most distracting study songs:

Love On Top – Beyoncé Listening to this song will make you want to learn its dance. Stay away from it unless you’re planning on watching the music video and learning the dance from it for hours on end.

Levels — Avicii Anything that reminds you of house parties should not be listened to in Lau. Also, avoid any of the hundreds of mash-ups using this song.

Call Me Maybe — Carly Rae Jepsen I am the first person to start dancing when this song comes on. But this hit from the third place finisher on the fifth season of Canadian Idol is not productive study music. Neither are any of the mashups on this playlist.

Any song from “Glee”: I once made the mistake of dancing in Lau. Not a good idea.

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  • AnonymousDec 10, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    Um, I’ve researched this topic, and listening to baroque music, or Beethoven is most preferable to study to, not pop music

    Reply