A Season for Song

During winter term, stress is excessive to the point where some students are unable to handle it. Cold nights and short days create a depressing atmosphere, and the usual Exeter workload locks all students in their dorm rooms. To fight off the “winter term blues,” students turn to various activities to cope and survive. Among the many things to do at Exeter, an effective and successful way of managing the winter term stress is listening to music.All students are flooded each night with homework, and sitting and listening to music may seem like a waste of time to many Exonians. However, the unknown effects of listening to music exceed the common knowledge and perception of it.Research has shown that listening to music helps people focus and enhances their concentration and efficiency while working. Often students are unable to focus because of the environment in their dorm, or other distractions, but listening to music can block out all of those disturbances and help students work efficiently.Although it is hard for many students to drag themselves out of their beds to their 8 a.m. classes, or finish all assignments after a long miserable winter day, a favorite rock song can help with the fatigue. Listening to a song you enjoy is known to eliminate exercise-induced fatigue and its symptoms, and during winter when energy level tends to be hitting the bottom of the scale, listening to music might be the spark that helps you keep working.Along with fatigue, winter is the season of sickness. All members of the community, because of the increase in the amount of time spent indoors and the inactive routine of winter term, are affected by contagious illnesses. Although music is commonly known for its therapeutic effects on patients with severe diseases, listening to music also boosts the immune function. Scientists explain that listening to music leads to secretion of immune-boosting hormones that create a positive and profound emotional experience. For all Exonians, listening to music might be the perfect vaccine for all petty illnesses, with just a week of winter term left.Another benefit of listening to music is that it brings people together. Whether it’s listening to the latest pop song or sharing a rendition of a song with friends, listening to and singing music provides an opportunity to interact with one another in the community. Listening to music with friends or dorm mates is also another fun activity that just allows students to unwind, take a break from the stressful weeks of winter and bond with each other. It not only warms the body and soul, but also creates a positive atmosphere that fights off the emotionless and gloomy ambiance of winter.With less than a week left of winter term, all students are undergoing a substantial amount of stress, and no matter what the origin of that stress is, it’s important for all of us to finish strong. Despite the immense workload, it’s crucial that all students take care of themselves and each other, maintain their focus through finals week and finish the term healthy. Listening to music might just do the trick. Five minutes spent on Facebook could just as easily be spent checking out a new artist, so in order to finish the depressing winter term strong, try listening to music. You never know how helpful it will be.