Have you ever seen someone or known someone who is always listening to music, and wondered why? From someone who doesn't listen to music like that, they would say “ooohh, they just don't have anything better than just entertainment”. Not saying that's wrong, but it's not fully correct either. Music is not just sounds, rhythm, and melodies, but it's more like a therapist, a way to cope with things, a mood setter, and something you can use to focus. Like, for instance, when I listen to music at the dawn of the morning, it lowkey sets the mood for the day, depending on what song I start with. Boom, that's one example of how music can be a mood setter. But I will be explaining how listening to music that students choose before class can improve their mood, help them focus, and support learning because music works as both a study tool and a way to handle emotions. Along with those main topics, I will go into depth on how it works with your mind reacting to music based on the tone.
One way music helps students before learning is by improving their mood and motivation. When we students listen to music that we may enjoy listening to, whether it's rap, R&B, or any other genre, it can make us feel more relaxed, positive, and mentally prepared for the day. According to Vigl et al., “ Listening to music has been shown to have positive impacts on mood and task performance, but there is little knowledge on such effects in school environments.” Their mixed-method study aimed to investigate the effects of self-selected music on students’ mood, motivation, concentration, and learning success in a real-life school context. This shows that music is not just entertainment, but something that can genuinely help students feel ready to learn before class even starts.
To really see if music makes a difference, researchers set up an experiment comparing two different weeks in a classroom. During one week, students started class without listening to music beforehand. Then, in another week, students were allowed to listen to music they personally chose before class. After the experiment, researchers noticed that during the week without music, students’ mood, motivation, and focus were more average or even slightly lower than usual. However, during the week when students listened to music, they were more motivated, more focused, and more ready to participate. These results connect to my own experience because I notice a difference in my mood before class depending on whether I listen to music. When I don’t listen to music, I feel drained, stressed, and less interested in learning. In contrast, when I walk into class after listening to music, I feel more engaged and ready to learn, with fewer distractions holding me back. Because of this, it becomes clear that students’ emotional state before class plays a big role in how prepared they are to learn, especially when music is a part of the routine.
Since students' emotions play such a big role in learning, music becomes an easy and low-cost way to help students get into a better mindset before class. Unlike other methods, music does not require expensive resources or major changes to the classroom. Students can simply listen to songs they enjoy for a few minutes before class begins. This small can help improve their mood, increase motivation, and prepare them to focus on learning. Vigl et al., researchers stated, “listening to self-selected music could be an effective and low-cost strategy for enhancing students’ emotional state, motivation, and concentration in a school context.” Overall, this shows that music is easy to use and helps students feel more ready and motivated to learn.
The effect becomes even stronger when students are able to choose their own music. I personally feel like when a teacher plays music, it’s usually something general that everyone doesn't enjoy, and it’s not always soothing. Instead of it helping, it feels like I’m being forced to listen to something rather than choosing music that I actually connect with. Schäfer et al. explain that “music is individualistic and cannot be systematized,” which shows that each person connects to music differently. This shows that individuals are more affected by music when they themselves choose their personal preferences.
Students reported better focus during the week when they listened to music before class. When students are able to get into a good mindset, it becomes easier for them to concentrate and stay on task. Instead of being distracted or tired, they come into class more mentally prepared to learn. According to Vigl et al., music listening can have “positive impacts on mood and task performance,” showing that it doesn’t just affect how students feel. This suggests that listening to music before class can help students stay engaged and improve their overall performance.
Music also gives students a more private way to deal with their feelings. There are times when students are stressed, under pressure, or dealing with things in their personal lives, and music helps them deal with those feelings without having to talk about them. They can use music to clear their minds and calm down before class instead of keeping everything inside. Schäfer et al. say that "music is a tool that facilitates exploration and ventilation of feelings," which means that music helps people understand and let go of their feelings. This is why listening to music before class not only makes you feel better, but it also helps you think more clearly and get ready to pay attention. Music also helps students take care of their health in a personal way. Sometimes students feel stressed, overwhelmed, or have problems in their daily lives. Listening to music they choose can help them deal with those feelings without having to talk about them with anyone. Instead of keeping everything inside, music gives them a private way to unwind, deal with their feelings, and feel calmer before class. As Sloboda and his colleagues put it, "listening to music seems to be linked with a reduction of stress and anxiety," which means that music helps people understand and let go of how they feel. Not only does listening to music before class make students feel better, it also helps them get ready to learn and focus.
Controlling your feelings is very important for both your mental health and your schoolwork. Students are better able to learn and take part in class when they can improve their mood, focus better, and deal with their feelings. Listening to music is a simple and private way for students to deal with their feelings. It helps them feel calm, motivated, and ready to do their schoolwork. By helping students feel better emotionally, they can not only feel better but also do better in school. In general, music is a simple and useful way for schools and students to use every day to help them learn and feel better. Music is a powerful way to connect emotions and learning. It can help students focus, lift their spirits, or give them a private space to work through their feelings. Even little things, like listening to music they choose before class, can really change how students think and do in school.
Works Cited
Batt-Rawden, Kari Bjerke. “The Benefits of Self-Selected Music on Health and Well-Being.” The Arts in Psychotherapy, vol. 37, no. 4, Sept. 2010, pp. 301–310, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2010.05.005.
Greco, Francesca, et al. “Effects of Self-Selected Versus Motivational Music on Lower Limb Muscle Strength and Affective State in Middle-Aged Adults.” PeerJ, vol. 10, 22 July 2022, p. e13795, https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13795.
In this piece, I explore the idea that music is more than just entertainment, especially for students. I show how music can improve mood, help with focus, and support learning by acting as both a study tool and a way to handle emotions. What inspired me to write about this was my own experience. I noticed that when I listen to music before school, I feel more relaxed and ready to learn. That made me wonder if other students feel the same way, and if there was research to support it.
For my craft choices, I started with a question: “Have you ever seen someone…always listening to music, and wondered why?” This helps grab the reader’s attention and makes them think. I also used a casual tone in parts, like “Boom, that’s one example,” to make it feel more real and relatable. At the same time, I included quotes like “Listening to music has been shown to have positive impacts on mood and task performance” to make my argument stronger and more trustworthy. I repeated key ideas like mood, focus, and motivation to make sure my main point stays clear, and I used transitions like “However” and “Because of this” to keep everything flowing smoothly.
My writing process started with thinking about my own experiences, then finding research to support my ideas. One challenge I faced was balancing a casual tone with a more formal, school-appropriate style. I fixed this by keeping my personal examples simple while making the research parts more formal. I also learned how important it is to explain evidence clearly instead of just adding quotes. As I continue working on this piece, I want to make my writing clearer and maybe add a different point of view, like how music could sometimes be distracting. Overall, I want to make it stronger while still keeping it personal and easy to understand.