HeyCTM: Music That Boosts the Study Mood

This is HeyCTM, a listicle of what ACTM members recommend to help guide fellow students into the ins and outs of college life as a ComTech student.

As the tunes that blast through coffee shops remain out of reach, we asked some of you what music boosts the study mood as we currently face the challenges of online classes.

Nectar by Joji (2020)

[Link to Spotify Album]

Freshman Enrique Navarro believes that finding the right type of music stimulates your creative juice. “It can also find the right type of mentality to approach a certain task,” he adds. Navarro finds Japanese singer-songwriter Joji’s second studio album Nectar to be a great choice to blast when he is studying as he sees the overall mood of the album as very relaxing. He also added that the different sounds and melodies in this album makes him think for his academic tasks.

Similarly, third-year student Cheska Nepomuceno also recommends the album as the album has some songs that can help students keep their energy up but also has songs that are similar to lo-fi beats. In addition, Anton Cabalde recommends the song Afterthoughts from the album as “it's relaxing but doesn't make you sleepy.”

If It’s Meant to Be It’ll Be by DJ Fidda (2017)

[Link to Spotify Song]

Sophomore student Sharis Paterno shares that the beat and lyrics of DJ Fidda’s If It’s Meant to Be It’ll Be (2017) is relaxing for her amidst academic workload. She says that the song is perfect when you’re stressed and want to take a quick pause. “After listening to this song, it can help put you back on track,” she says.

Do It by Chloe x Halle (2020)

[Link to Spotify Song]

For senior year student Rina Peneyra, her discovery of American R&B duo Chloe x Halle’s Do It (2020) came from hearing it through video sharing platform TikTok. “I feel extremely empowered by this song… I feel like I could do anything,” Peneyra says, highlighting how her confidence has been at an all-time high whenever she listens to this song. She adds that music can motivate her fellow ACTM members and pull them out from their studying slump.

LoFi Fruits Music Playlist

[Link to Spotify Playlist]

Need a little fruit in the juice? ACTM’s Associate Vice President for External Relations Training Mikaella Miller found the LoFi Fruits Music playlist through a study session with her friend in Discord. She says that LoFi music gives her the coffee shop vibes that she misses. “I feel like listening to this with people from ACTM would sort of still give that feeling of normalcy to everyone,” she says.

9 to 5 by Dolly Parton (1980)

[Link to Spotify Song]

With most of the recommendations listed so far on the contemporary end, ACTM’s Executive Vice President Noelle Amba went retro through her recommendation of American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 (1980). For Amba, the song is a classic, and discovered it as she was developing a playlist with songs from inspiring and empowering women artists. “It boosts my mood especially at the start of a long day of work! It's a classic bop with amazing lyrics. Gotta pour myself a cup of ambition,” she says.

Although we miss the sound of coffee shop music while studying in coffee shops around Katipunan, replicating these vibes through music in the confines of our own bedrooms and table desks in going through modules and readings posted in Canvas could bring a semblance of normalcy while we live through unprecedented times.

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