{"id":441,"date":"2025-10-17T14:57:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T12:57:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monitor.vistula.edu.pl\/?p=441"},"modified":"2025-10-17T14:57:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T12:57:58","slug":"music-vs-silence-what-really-helps-students-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monitor.vistula.edu.pl\/index.php\/en\/2025\/10\/17\/music-vs-silence-what-really-helps-students-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"Music vs Silence: What Really Helps Students Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can a playlist replace coffee? And what happens when Beethoven meets calculus?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among students, opinions are split. Some swear by lo-fi beats or classical symphonies to stay focused. Others need absolute silence and flinch at the sound of a guitar chord. So who\u2019s right? We talked to two students who approach studying differently \u2014 one can\u2019t imagine a study session without music, and the other needs complete quiet to stay productive. Here\u2019s what we learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alexandra: \u201cMusic is my study buddy.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alexandra Kovalenko, originally from Ukraine,  moved to Poland in 2022 and quickly realized that background noise helps her stay calm \u2014 especially during exam weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a playlist for everything: studying, cleaning, even crying after a tough class, she laughs. Her favorite genres for focus? Lo-fi beats, ambient electronic music, and sometimes piano instrumentals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I joined Alexandra at her desk on a Sunday afternoon. A soft rhythm plays from her headphones while she annotates research articles. It creates a mental bubble, she explains. In the dorm, people talk, doors slam, and someone\u2019s cooking at 10 PM. Music helps me ignore all of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But is it always helpful?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, no. I can\u2019t listen to anything with lyrics when I\u2019m reading or writing. It\u2019s distracting. Also, if I\u2019m tired, even music can\u2019t help \u2014 I just fall asleep, she admits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, for her, music is more than background noise. It sets the mood. When I listen to calm music, I don\u2019t panic. My brain thinks, \u2018Okay, it\u2019s focus time.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bogdan: \u201cSilence is golden.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bogdan Mart, a computer science student at the Warsaw University of Technology, takes the opposite approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t get how people study with music. It\u2019s too much stimulation, he says. Bogdan studies mostly at night, when his roommates are asleep and the flat is quiet. He even turns off his notifications and avoids caf\u00e9s. \u201cI tried music \u2014 Chopin, ambient stuff \u2014 but my brain just doesn\u2019t cooperate. I either focus on the music or the code, never both.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, productivity means minimal interference. \u201cI need to hear myself think. Even the sound of rain makes me lose focus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Bogdan admits music helps him in other ways. Before an exam, I\u2019ll listen to some energetic tracks \u2014 something with a beat. It helps reduce stress and wake me up. But once I sit down to work, silence only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, does music help or not?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both students make a good case. And that\u2019s the point: there\u2019s no universal truth. Music influences the brain in complex ways. It can stimulate, soothe, distract, or motivate \u2014 depending on the person, the task, and even the time of day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research supports both sides. Background music (especially instrumental) can boost productivity during repetitive tasks. But for demanding mental work \u2014 such as writing or problem-solving \u2014 it might interfere, especially if it has lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what should students do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try, adjust, repeat. Some tips from Alexandra and Bohdan\u2019s experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use instrumental or ambient tracks for reading and writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid music with lyrics if the task involves language processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match the music to the mood: calming for stress, upbeat for motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Use music as a cue \u2014 same playlist, same study time, to build a habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And most importantly \u2014 pay attention to how your brain reacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts: Tune In or Turn Off?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music can be a great tool \u2014 or a sneaky distraction. It depends on your style. For some, it\u2019s part of a productive routine. For others, silence is the real productivity hack. The key is to know yourself. As Alexandra puts it, You don\u2019t need Mozart to pass your exams \u2014 just find what works for you and stick to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maksym Yermoshyn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo: Pexels – Sebastian Eervi<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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