Due Sunday, November 22
Motivation
This week one of your big tasks is to prepare for and take Test #2. Do you like to listen to music while you’re studying or while you’re taking a test? Or do you like to listen to music to pump you up right before you take a test? Usually when I give my students tests in face-to-face classes, the room is silent, but a few times students have asked me to play some soft music to help them relax and focus as they write. It was really nice!
Now that you prepare for and take tests in your own space, you get to decide what music you want to listen to!
This week’s assignment is to create a crowd-sourced playlist as a class. Everyone gets to choose a song for the playlist. What do you think your classmates would like to listen to while they study or while they take the test? What do you think they’d like to listen to to energize them before they take the test? I’ve already started a playlist on YouTube and I’ll add your suggestions to it (provided they’re not too…you know…inappropriate). It’s my first YouTube playlist so I am still just learning…
Edit 11/18: I love your suggestions! I realized we needed two playlists: a chill one and a hype one. Hopefully I’ve added the right songs to the right lists.
The first song on the chill playlist is from Philip Glass’s Solo Piano album. I find music with lyrics too distracting while I’m working, so I usually go for instrumental pieces or sometimes music with lyrics in another language. The last time I had to take an exam was in graduate school. I played this CD in my Discman over and over again while I studied in the library and I’m pretty sure it helped me pass. (Does anyone still know what a Discman is???)
The first song on the hype playlist is Robyn’s Dancing on My Own, which always gets me fired up. (Fun fact: a friend of mine went to middle school in Sweden with Robyn and she was his first kiss!) The second song is Don Omar’s Danza Kuduro; my partner puts this one on when I’m sleepy and he’s trying to wake me up…it always works.
Here’s the chill playlist:
Here is the hype playlist:
Instructions
Submit a comment on this post with your song suggestion and a link to a YouTube video with the song. Specify whether your suggestion is for studying for/taking a test or if it’s for pumping yourself up to take a test. If you like, include a few details about what you like about the song. Submit a few suggestions if you like.
Nobody has to actually listen to this playlist if they don’t want to, but it might be nice to have the option while you’re studying and taking the test, provided you have the bandwidth where you are.
The deadline is officially Sunday night, but if you get your suggestions in early enough (and if I can figure out YouTube) the playlist will be ready for your listening pleasure by the time you take Test #2 on Thursday/Friday. Anyone who comments will earn participation credit.
One song I like to listen to while studying for a test and for pumping myself to take a test is Amplifier by Imran Khan. Its a desi song, sung by a Dutch-Pakistani singer. The song is about Khan driving a car with black tinted windows at 220 km/hr. He calls himself the amplifier, the police are chasing him, but he’s unstoppable. It has a strong energy build-up as it proceeds. There is no dull moment in it. Thats why it serves as a great song for pumping one up.
Here is the link to the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuCFRaFWjwY
Awesome! I’m listening to it now to get myself pumped up for….a meeting. Thanks Schear!
I am not good at focusing and listening to music with words so I’ve been discovering a lot of instrumental and ambient music.
Here’s a few of my favorites right now:
For getting pumped I love Fela Kuti, not all instrumental but so fun to listen to and always puts me in a good mood.
This is a feel good focus song I found while searching for good instrumental music to study to instead of actually studying. It’s called Soul Alphabet, which, I know, is incredibly cheesy, but it is what it is.
Looking forward to this playlist!
I Love listening to Afrobeat and french music before a test just to be in a good mood and to have lots of energy. Every time I listen to an Afrobeats song, it’s impossible for me not to get up and dance to the beat. Every beat and sound is so different and uplifting that even if you don’t know how to dance, you will start bopping your heads and shoulders to the beat.
I love listening to Maitre Gims, Dadju, and Soolking. All of them are french singers and true legends in France.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j725wScY0E Hola Senorita (Maria) by Gims ft Maluma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX6aHSYfMk0 (YOLO) by Gims
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=soolking+melegim+music+ Malegim by Soolking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5f4WSpNIuA Bobo au Coeur by Dadju
I can never take a test without listening to the amazing Yemi Alade AKA Mama Afrique AKA Woman of Steel. She’s a Nigerian Singer and her voice is heaven. Her songs are amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZxu1P6GlFQ Boyz By Yemi Alade
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yemi+alade+gucci+ferragamo
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yemi+alade+johnny+
I listen to music literally 24/7 no matter what I’m doing but when I’m studying usually I listen to korean pop (k-pop) or lo-fi hip hop videos on youtube. When I need to pump myself up for studying, tests or anything else I like to play really energetic/hyped k-pop songs that really hype me up and keep me focused.
I like to play the group BTS. Their music is very diverse from energetic to too soft and soothing. Here is one of the songs that really pump me up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTlv5_Bs8aw&ab_channel=BigHitLabels
When I’m not in the mood for hyped up music I listen to lo-fi hip hop beats. They’re really good songs that bring the chill vibes whenever I’m studying. There are many lo-fi beats videos and livestreams on Youtube that are an hour or more so I’m going to link one of my favorite lo-fi beats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygoxLDsDc58&ab_channel=ChillhopMusic
Alina Baraz is someone I also listen to when studying. Her voice is very soothing and she gives off very chill vibes in her music. Here is one of my favorite songs from her: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQyB39F1hI&ab_channel=AlinaBaraz
I listen to music a lot, even when i’m working on homework or studying. I normally get nervous for exams especially with math, so I would just listen to music that will pump me up and distract me from being nervous. One of the songs I listen to is Closer by The Chainsmokers.
Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2_F-1esPk
I listen to music a lot, even when i’m working on homework or studying. I normally get nervous for exams especially with math, so I would just listen to music that will pump me up and distract me from being nervous. One of the songs I listen to is Closer by The Chainsmokers.
Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2_F-1esPk
I listen to music a lot, even when i’m working on homework or studying. I normally get nervous for exams especially with math, so I would just listen to music that will pump me up and distract me from being nervous. One of the songs I listen to is Closer by The Chainsmokers.
Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2_F-1esPk
Sometimes, I listen to music during studying and sometimes I don’t, depending on how much focus I need to understand and grasp the knowledge I need. I do get nervous and stressed when an upcoming exam comes up. I normally listen to soundtracks from movies, video games, and sometimes albums from artists to help me to calm down.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P4yx4sVvG0
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0KjljX4Lqg
I listen to music all the time, mainly to help me relax. When it comes to doing school work and studying I listen to instrumentals. One of my favorite songs to listen to is resonance by Home.
I listen to music all the time, mainly to help me relax. When it comes to doing school work and studying I listen to instrumentals. One of my favorite songs to listen to is resonance by Home.
No matter what I am doing, I listen to music whenever I can! When I study for a test I like to listen to chill music. I can’t listen to no good bops because I’m going to be singing/rapping my heart out (even though I’m not a good singer) or dance. So I recommend this song, So Done by Alicia Keyes featuring Khalid. It’s a good song on my chill playlist. It’s a song that you vibe and sway to because like I said before if you play a good song you usually turn up to, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING DONE! lol
I do not tend to listen to music before I take a test. I find serenity in silence. I can then reorganize my thoughts in a way that helps me to remember the task I have to accomplish on the test. However, I do listen to music after the test. Here’s a preview into my musical taste
Sorry its late.
I rarely listen to music while studying but I do listen to music right before a test and while doing anything else.
Chill
Vienna – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wccRif2DaGs&ab_channel=billyjoelVEVO
Nier Automata (its a game) Amusement Park Soundtrack – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEVYS7Ofbgo&ab_channel=AkiraKarma ( Its a “made-up” language rough translation in comments, but without playing the game you would’nt understand the meaning of this song. Nice Sound eitherway )
Generation Why – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=entVpj_IT6M&ab_channel=ConanGray
Piano Man – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwVjTlTdIDQ&ab_channel=billyjoelVEVO
I miss u – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unOTmdoNIfM&ab_channel=MrMoMMusic
Bonus, go to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoORpe_AmFk&ab_channel=NinaChubaMusic
Hype
Holding Out For A Hero (remix) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVkc6UF1mzI&ab_channel=PashBridges
They Dont Really Care About Us (cover) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d6NsCMnZLM&ab_channel=MattyCarter%2BAriel
High on Mel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqfQXP0Z-E4&ab_channel=GetAFixVisuals
The Pretender (cover) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTbCHkx5J0A&ab_channel=InfectedMushroom-Topic
POP/STARS vs Megalovania – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wan2REH1x9g&ab_channel=DjCUTMAN
Bonus, go crazy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHgIYfNF8kY&ab_channel=t%2Bpazolite