A theory

So, just got started on writing the essay portion of my take-home mid-term (accelerated class. that's why I'm already at the mid-term). And of course, I am having the worst time concentrating. Really. I've watched portions of about 3 episodes of NCIS, listened to the Doctor Horrible soundtrack, checked on Facebook, and scoured the internet for pictures of Jimmy Olander's taxi-cab guitar.

See, this is why I can never get anything done.

So, finally I turn on some music. And now I can concentrate. (Except that I'm writing a blog instead, but... stay with me for a sec.)

So, you know about that study they did? Dunno how big it was. Anyway. They had two groups of students take a test. In one classroom, they played rock music. In the other room, they played classical. And, of course, the room with the classical music did much better. So, they theorize, rock music rots your brain, and classical music makes you smarter.

But see, I've got a different theory. And remind me to test this one out if I ever have to do a psychological experiment or something crazy.

When I have any sort of schoolwork to do, whether it's a test or a paper or whatever, I can't concentrate. But music helps. But it has to be specific music. It can't have any lyrics (at least in English), and it can't have a theme that I know well (i.e. the Indiana Jones theme, the Star Wars theme, or any of the Pirates soundtracks). Two things happen: My brain won't focus on the schoolwork completely, so it focuses on the music. If I don't have music to focus on, that's when I wind up on Facebook or watching NCIS.

Does that make sense? I need to provide my brain with a distraction it can think about while still allowing me to work. But if it has English lyrics, I end up listening to the story, or singing along. If it is a theme I know well, I'm humming along with it, or following the melody that I know so well.

So. That's kinda the best way I can explain my little theory. Did the students listening to the rock music do poorly because they were listening to the words, and couldn't concentrate on the written words in front of them? And did the students listening to classical music do better because the music kept their brains from straying too far, yet didn't distract them with lyrics or a hummable melody?

By the way, the music I'm listening to? Rap music. In Hebrew. Really.