If there’s one thing college students know, it’s stress — stress from heavy workloads, stress from finances, stress from finals, stress from relationships, you name it. Now, with Fall Semester nearly underway, it might be a good idea to remind ourselves of our best stress-relieving techniques. While there are plenty of methods of stress-relief out there — from exercising to laughing to excessively chewing gum — for me, listening to music has been the greatest annihilator of stress through my college years.
Music is one of the most emotional and thought-provoking experiences available to us. There’s something about deep, relatable lyrics and passionate instrumentals that can bring out hard-to-reach emotions you’re longing to get in touch with. I don’t know about the rest of you, but the stress and fatigue I get from slaving away at work or over a textbook can become emotionally numbing. So, when that time comes, it’s nice to know I can rely on music to pull me from my slump. After all, according to an article by Shelley Emling of The Huffington Post, music is scientifically proven to trigger positive emotions. She explains that “certain songs can distract us while also decreasing our levels of stress hormones,” and I think most of us can relate.
All in all, the kind of music I listen to personally depends on the kind of stress I’m dealing with. When I’m feeling down emotionally because of, say, a fight with a friend, or I’m missing someone I’m close with, I listen mostly to sad songs. It sounds odd, but, as Emling explains, “sadness prompted by art is not the same kind of sadness that results from a tragic event,” and it can actually make you feel better. For me, when I’m feeling down, I focus harder on lyrical content that brings out relevant emotions. So some of my sad song stress remedies include “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran, First Aid Kit’s “Ghost Town,” “Poison and Wine” by the Civil Wars and “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac.
An alternate kind of stress has to do with that feeling of mental defeat you get when you’ve been staring at a computer screen reviewing online PowerPoint slides for hours on end with a textbook in your lap. While you know you can’t possibly study anymore with any level of productivity, you are forced to press on, accepting the diminishing returns, or else face the consequences of a failed midterm. With that sort of stress, sometimes it can be good to rejuvenate mentally with some caffeine and a lonesome jam session. Maybe take a little break and allow a song or two to transport you to a different mental setting — crank your headphone volume, along with your vocal chords, and see if that doesn’t blow off some study steam. If you’re in need of suggestions, my go-to pick-me-up songs include “Shake It Out” by Florence and the Machine, Steel Train’s “Bullet,” “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga and, dare I say it, “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding. If you haven’t heard Ellie’s godsend of a musical masterpiece, I promise it’ll make every one of your problems disappear by the time the chorus hits. I’ll honestly reward myself with that song after studying hard for an extended period of time.
So, when you’re on the verge of tears, or anxiety feels like it’s slapping you in the face with a million bricks because you’re overwhelmed with stress, don’t forget that music could be exactly what you need. Whether you need to shed a tear or scream a verse or two, it’s guaranteed to untangle those stress knots and make your load feel a little lighter, giving you the strength to power through whatever it is you have to deal with.