Plugged in students: Music helps to focus, reflect
Junior Trent Parham sits in the commons listening to music during sixth period on Thursday during his off block. Many students use music to help get through the day.
August 29, 2019
Many people at Greeley West High School rely on music to concentrate and to get away from the situations – headaches, pain at home or with schoolwork.
In this day and age, music is a way to mute the world and to concentrate on yourself – in and out of school. Sophomore Giovanni Rea said, “Music helps me focus on what needs to get done, in school and at home.”
A significant amount of people at West use music to their advantage, listening to music in class and during passing period. While most people have different tastes in music, each genre of music can have a different meaning to each person. Sophomore Makayla Wolfe said, “I enjoy old classic rock music. It makes anxiety easier with life and school.”
Although some teachers take this as an annoyance and disrespect to them and the class, most kids are just using this as a method of getting work done faster and more efficiently.
Sometimes, though students listen to this music as it has a certain meaning to them that lets the student reflect on themselves and things they have done in the past. Also often inspiring them through the lyrics and what the artist is saying through the song or the artists experiences.
“When I listen to a song, the lyrics help me to better understand the song, and the message in the song,” Rea said.
To some kids, classic rock or one of the other many genres has a deep meaning in their life reminding them of their past. Sophomore Ryan Arscott said, “When I listen to classic rock, it makes me feel sad because it reminds me of my younger childhood.”
Whereas more modern music might have a whole different meaning to some students, making them think about more current problems or issues. Senior Nayeli Enriquez said, “Modern music usually gets me hyped up for the day, but if it has a dark tone or meaning, it usually gets me thinking about my life.”
Most may just be a hobby for some people, but it is helping students at Greeley West on a daily basis – in class and out of school – with focus, pain, and reflection of themselves and their life.
