Think about music and why you listen to it. For some it’s because it makes them happy, some use it for dance parties in their rooms, and come use it to pass the time. There are numerous reasons to listen to music but when you look at teenagers you’ll find they use it to cope, even unconsciously. 

A huge reason teens choose to cope with music is the reliability of the lyrics. They feel as though the music is speaking to them. It is something that teens connect to heavily. It makes them feel heard or accepted even if the outside world doesn’t. 

Eastmont High School’s very own English teacher Tanja Medrano says, “Music can have a huge impact on one’s mood. I was just telling our band teacher, Ms. Whitehall, that I came to school in a bad mood a couple Fridays ago but when I arrived, the Jazz band was playing in the commons and it totally changed my mood! The rest of the day went much better after hearing just two songs by our Jazz band.” 

Music is special to kids not only in the sense that they can relate to it but also they can express themselves through it. It gives them personality and a way to connect with those around them. 

Sophomore Mikaiya Carson has something to add to this, “Music is important to kids because it creates personality. Sad music, classic music, rock music, etc… Music gives us personality because we all have different types of music and sometimes we create who we are based on what we are listening to because that is how we are feeling at the time.” 

Listening to music has actually shown to be quite helpful for students in the classroom. Multiple students within EHS attest to this. 

EllaBeth Crawford, Sophomore and theater club member says, “ I think music in class does help students because, from personal experience, when I listen to music in a class I can ignore the outside noises and just listen to the song and get my work done.”

It’s no surprise that different people listen to different music, but however, did you know that different genders groups use music in different ways? According to a pediatric study written on the effects of music in teenagers, girls seem more likely to use music to handle sad feelings like loneliness or to handle a breakup. Boys tend to use music to invigorate and give them energy. 

Music may also give teenagers an outlet for their feelings. While they may not want to talk about what’s going on in their head or in their lives, the music they listen to is a big give away. It can alleviate stress or take away some of the overwhelming emotions they can’t handle at that particular time. 

Colby King, Eastmont High School football player says, “ It helps because it gets your mind off your life and allows you to heal your brain and come back to a calm mind where you can think clearly.”