With exams and finals among us, staying on track may prove to be difficult. Often people suggest listening to music, but there is a right and wrong type to listen to.

People of course suggest classical music as a good start because it is simply instrumental and good for the background. Of course classical music is not for everyone, which is why there are alternatives.

As wild as it sounds, some video-game soundtracks are actually incredible for this kind of thing. Of course, most of this generation grew up with the old-school Minecraft music, which is perfect study music because of its simplicity. Plus, video-game music was made to go in a background anyway, so it does not take up too much of your focus but still keeps you working. If you really want a nostalgia trip while you work, listen to the game’s Alpha soundtrack.

I also recommend the Hollow Knight soundtrack, not only because it is my personal favorite game ever created, but because the music is just pretty. If the music in this game can somehow destress players after they died 4 times in a row, surely it can help to stay focused.

Lastly, of course, is the never-ending lo-fi to relax or study to stream. This one is cliché, yes, but it does help. The lack of some higher frequencies (the reason it’s called lo-fi in the first place) can sometimes help to make sure someone does not get too locked into the music rather than the work they are trying to do.

In short, listen to music that was meant to fit in the background. There is something that is right for everyone in here, it is just a matter of finding what works best for you.