“You wanna do well on that homework of yours? Turn up that volume!” Now I bet you haven’t heard that one from parents or teachers before…

It’s an age-old scenario, (and one that I’ve been in many times); the classic teenager toting an Ipod and constantly pumping music through personal headphones loud enough to rattle the teeth out of an angry crocodile, or even shake the guava trees in Costa Rican rainforests. It’s just useless noise, definitely wouldn’t help with homework…right?

According to Jennifer Copley’s study on the Psychology of Classical Music#, “classical music can be beneficial for anxiety reduction [and] enhancement of linguistic and spatial abilities.” In other words, turning up some classics like Mozart or Beethoven may help you conduct better research, compose higher-quality essays; even increase your focus while doing homework.

“I love listening to all types of music when I’m at work,” said Andrew of Music2work2.com#, a site dedicated to creating background music 10-15 minutes in length to boost creativity at work. “Instrumental music helps me focus.” Focus and lack of interest are the top problems for teenagers when it comes to homework, yet turning on a little music is proven to help.

Ever noticed what hospitals, shopping malls, elevators, and even most restaurants have in common? Music. Owners and managers realize music’s relaxing qualities, thus turning on the tunes to offer a friendlier and open environment. Our brain accepts then noise, rhythms, and tones and turns them into a human reaction; a true human experience. Whether we realize it or not, our brain immediately reacts to what we hear.

Clearing mental blocks? Enhanced organization? Relieving the stresses of a long day? Sounds great to me! Next time you’re ready to hit the books, just remember; hit ‘Play’ first. It’s one easy step toward improving the quality of your education.

# Copley, Jennifer. “Psychology of Classical Music.” Published 7 May, 2008. Located 29 January, 2010. <http://cognitive-psychology.suite101/article.cfm/psychology_of_classical_music.>
# Andrew. “About music2work2.” Located 29 January, 2010. <http://music2work2.com/.>