By Beth Gentsch

Sentry Staff Reporter

It is another Monday morning and students are descending the bus stairs with a variety of looks on their faces ranging from dread to excitement. There is also another face: a face of calmness, serenity and all-around-coolness. That is the face of a student with earbuds in, lost in the world of Drake’s girl problems or perhaps currently engaged in a mental rave complete with glow sticks and EDM music.

Junior Garrett Fleming proudly admitted that he brings headphones every day to school and had yet to have a day where he forgets them.

“I listen to music on the bus, and in between classes,” said Fleming.

Although electronics are allowed in between classes, most teachers do not tolerate phones or earbuds during class time. That being said, whether or not music is allowed usually revolves around the types of activities going on during class. Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Ms. Turgeon-Williams occasionally allows students to listen to their own music during independent work that is not testing and does not require interaction with other fellow students or the teacher. Turgeon-Williams does not normally prefer to have students with earbuds in during class because of the risk that they would not be able to hear her, other students or an announcement in case of emergency.

“It makes it hard for me to communicate with students and for them to communicate with other people. It sort of sends out a ‘don’t bother me’ vibe,” said Turgeon-Williams.

However, having teachers play music from their computers for the class as a whole seems far more common.

“If we are doing the right activity for it, I don’t mind having quiet guitar music in the background or classical. Sometimes I give students a little bit of a weigh-in on what genre of music they want,” said Turgeon-Williams.

Teachers playing music themselves, without involving students’ personal electronics, prevents students from getting distracted on their smartphones or ipods.

“Being able to say that you’re just changing a song and going on twitter in the process is a given in most cases,” said senior Scarlett Cruz.

The range of preferred music genres to listen to throughout the day is very wide and normally depends on the student or teacher. Fleming’s music always has lyrics, and usually includes artists such as The Black Keys or The Offspring, whereas Cruz will listen to anything as long as it is not country music.

On the other hand, Turgeon-Williams prefers playing music for her classes that does not have lyrics.

“I stopped listening to music with words in it because I tend to get distracted and start singing along, but in college I started listening to classical music while studying and that really helped me to focus,” said Turgeon-Williams.

It seems music is popular among teachers as well as students. Although some teachers allow students to listen with their own earbuds and play music on their phone or iPod, most prefer to play their own music, whether it be off a website such as Pandora or their very own iTunes library. Regardless, music often provides a relaxing, peaceful environment compared to the hustle and bustle stress of the everyday school routine.

Featured Image by Spencer Croft/SENTRY