The hustle and bustle of a typical school day can drain even the most alert student’s mind. Fluorescent lights and loud peers, along with the humdrum of a daily schedule being repeated over and over again can be a damper to anyone’s happiness. It’s no wonder that in an environment like this, many teens look for something to keep them going throughout the day. For Junior Robbie Brown, that particular interest is music.
“My favorite song is “Kokopelli Face Tattoo” by Andrew Jackson Jihad,” said Brown. “Listening to it makes me feel energized and more motivated.”
Brown says music can take the bad out of his day and actually help improve his focus. He says music can put him in a better mood as well.
According to a New York Times study from 202, it was found that workers who listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t because the music caused their brains to release a chemical called Dopamine, which improved their mood.
Many students depend on music to escape an environment that’s too loud, or simply to regain focus. A recent study from Wales University concluded that listening to different types of music can affect students’ test scores differently. Classical music, and any other music without vocals, had the biggest positive effect on scores, but none of the types of music which were tested proved to significantly decrease scores.
But despite this evidence in support of music, LNHS has a policy which bans headphones during the school day.
Brown described how “…school tends to shove education down your throat, with no time to let you keep up with what makes you happy.”
He said the best thing Loy Norrix could do to improve this would be to merely acknowledge the significant positive change that music can bring to a student’s school day, and maybe someday even repeal the policy.
 
By Emma Greschak