Zoned out

How music aides CHS students during school days.

Last week, I witnessed one of my best friends run into class stressing out because she left her headphones at home. She told me that she was stressed and her day was about to “suck” because she did not have her earbuds.

 

My dad always says that years ago, “No one would think of pulling out their headsets during class to listen to music.” But our generation has made this an ordinary custom.

 

Now, music has become the medicine for a stress-free and relaxing day.

 

If you look around as you walk through the hallways of Coppell High School, you can spot many students using earbuds.

 

The outcome of relaxation, reflection and pausing is productivity, which has been statistically shown to make it easier for students to work efficiently and focus during school hours.

 

Music has been said to help students with ADD and ADHD concentrate better on their work, keeping their minds off distractions since it is known to be a “calming” supplement.

 

People worldwide have been using the apps Spotify and Sound Cloud creating playlists reflecting their various moods.

 

Music provides a means by which people can share their emotions, intentions and values.

 

Looking up someone’s account and viewing their music exposes you to a part of their personality. For this reason, music is both a form of self expression and self discovery, which modern technology has made seamless to carry.

 

Music has always had a huge importance and has been known to mend people. After a breakup, bad day, death, graduation or any distinct event, people can turn to music.

 

But why during school?

 

“As a teenager, listening to music, especially at school always shuts off my stress,” Coppell High School junior Juan Vega said.

 

Vega can always be seen with his earbuds in the hallways and in class.

 

“It makes time pass by quicker than ever as well,” Vega said.

 

A safe atmosphere for teens has been created with music, during school and outside of school. This is especially true when you go to a school with thousands of students and crowded passing periods, such as CHS.

 

School administrators say that their opinions on whether or not to allow their students to listen to music during classes have evolved over time.

 

Even though several students from Coppell have reported that music allows them to focus more on the task at hand, some administrators think the music will serve as a distraction.

 

“I have no problem with students listening to music during class as long as it does not distract them or take away from their learning,” CHS Principal Mike Jasso said. “I have heard that music does help students focus, and if that helps them in school then why not?”

 

CHS junior Mateo Perez thinks music helps his academic success.

 

“Denying students the option to listen to music is denying them the option of a better education, it’s simple,” Perez said. “It would be difficult for me to go a day without my earbuds, the day would be boring.”

 

I can go weeks without earbuds. I am nowhere near dependent on them, though being able to listen to my own music during school makes individual class work much more fun to accomplish.

 

“It blocks off all outside distractions,” junior Sebastian Escalante said. “Whenever you’re in class and it’s time to do work, there is always people talking with their table group or even across the room. Having earbuds and being able to block all that out is great.”

 

Everyone has playlists or songs that they turn to at different points throughout the day. Jasso appreciates this quality in music and says the most embarrassing song on his iPhone is “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley.

 

“What’s yours?” Jasso said.

 

I told him I’d get back to him.