At San Luis Obispo High School, many students are seen with headphones, earbuds, and airpods while walking around campus. These students listen to music constantly, which brings up the question: is it helpful to be listening to music while trying to do schoolwork? Much like any topic music has its good and bad sides. For starters, listening to music helps students stay focused, and keeps them from talking to others during class. On the other hand, the student would then have to go on their phone to pick songs, which in turn distracts them from the task at hand. These are only a few examples of the two sides of listening to music while doing schoolwork.

  Music is helpful in many ways. People use it to calm down, get hyped up, fall asleep, and to do schoolwork. School tends to be very stressful and causes anxiety for many people, and a great solution for that is music. While trying to take a test or take notes music keeps the mind sharp, and helps students focus and keeps them from being disruptive towards other classmates. “Listening to music while doing schoolwork helps me focus because it blocks out other distracting noises and allows me to focus on one task at a time,” said sophomore Camryn Kay. Many students need music to stay focused, which is why that listen to music during their classes and while doing homework, but teachers and/or parents get in the way of that.

 Music has been proven to be beneficial for the mind; however, there are many downfalls to listening to music while doing schoolwork. Depending on what type of music it is, it can become more of a distraction than a tool to help you focus. In addition, most teachers don’t allow their students to be on their phones, so for students to be allowed to listen to music they would, in turn, have to be allowed to go on their phones as well. Teachers have no way of knowing if the student is picking a song, or responding to a Snapchat. The student will also have to take time away from the schoolwork to pick songs.

   All in all, music is extremely helpful for your state of mind and focus. It helps keep distraction and the stress of school away. Music can help in so many ways but can be a huge distraction in many ways as well.