While songs that exude main-character energy can elevate your mood or instill a sense of power as you enter a room, lately, amidst rising stress levels, sentimental tunes seem to dominate playlists for many students. To break free from this default soundtrack and maintain positive vibes, it is crucial to wrap up the semester on a stress-free note. Here are some effective ways to alleviate stress:

Listening to upbeat or relaxing music can promote feelings of positivity. Sad songs versus upbeat tunes evoke different emotions. By keeping the melody upbeat, one can avoid negative vibes, calming your nerves and dispelling those butterflies from your stomach. Genres such as Afrobeats, House and R&B are great for boosting mood, while jazz, binaural beats and piano instrumentals are excellent for studying. Along with boosting our mood, music can also change our heartbeat. Listening to a gentle tune can slow a racing heart; in a way, our heart will sync with the beat.

Sometimes we don’t like all the parts of a song, but there are always small moments to look forward to. Similarly, practicing gratitude and appreciating life’s small joys can fine-tune your mind to see the positive side of life. Saying three things you are grateful for before bed and upon waking can fine-tune your mind to see the positive side of life. Writing gratitude letters can also aid mental health; they do not need to be sent, but it is a nice gesture. Finding the positive side of a situation, though challenging, is not impossible; sometimes, you just have to skip through the bad parts of the song to get to the good.

Adding random songs to your playlist is akin to not setting boundaries with yourself and others. If you struggle with saying no, it is essential to prioritize yourself. Learning to decline disruptive plans can save a lot of hassle later on. After all, free Spotify only offers six skips. After that, you are stuck listening to undesired songs, particularly when time is limited. 

It is tempting to get caught in a loop, playing the same song on repeat for hours. However, practicing time management can help avoid this trap. It is also easy to become absorbed in a task and postpone other items on your to-do list, often leading to dramatic all-nighters. Imagine yourself at 1:30 AM, exhausted, wrapped in a blanket, struggling through a three hour homework assignment. It sounds rough, but this scenario can be avoided with proper planning. Planning ahead and sticking to your schedule can boost your sense of progress and ensure tasks are completed on time. So, hit pause on that song and move forward.

These are just some strategies that you can incorporate into your final playlist of the semester, making it a memorable one.

Commentary writer Vidhi Parekh can be reached at [email protected].

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at [email protected] or [email protected].