As the Hoosier Spring settles in, Herron students are balancing the weather changes, demanding schedules, and the pressures of AP exam season. All the while, music has become a constant part of how students move throughout the day.

Tracks Around School Life

When cruising around campus or during seminar, many students lean towards upbeat or mood-matching spring tracks. Mar Petkus (12) said her “spring anthem” tends to be more energetic and light, describing her go-to as “happier music.” She mentioned artists like Slayyyter and PinkPantheress, with “Girls Like Me” by PinkPantheress on repeat throughout the school day. 

Other students described their music taste as something that shifts with the season itself. Lucia Schneider (11) explained that because “spring weather moves around a lot, so does the music.” Her rotation includes TV Girl (especially their collaborations with Jordana), Islands, and Olivia Rodrigo’s newest release “Drop Dead,” which she called “gorgalicious.” She also described listening to what she called “moody girl music,” depending on her mood.

Focus Modes

During cram sessions, especially with AP exams approaching, students tend to switch into completely different listening habits. Mar said she prefers slower calming sounds like piano music, background noise, and artists such as Sophie, Beyoncé, and Lana Del Rey while she focuses. 

Adelaide Hildebrant (11) takes a more versatile approach depending on her tasks. She listens to Paramore, especially tracks like “Turn It Off” and “The Only Exception” from the album Brand New Eyes, along with Clairo and Lana Del Rey when she wants tranquil background music. For studying, she often switches between reading in silence or using ambient sound. She also noted that her environment changes depending on the subject: for math, it can be either “super chaotic music” or something very chill, depending on how she needs to concentrate. 

One pattern stands out among Achaeans, despite their differences in routine and taste: students’ everyday lives are closely linked with music. They’re using sound, or perhaps the absence of it, to align themselves throughout a meticulous season, whether it be cheerful music for walking after school, gentle playlists for studying, or total silence for intense concentration.

As spring continues and AP exams draw even closer, students increasingly rely on music as a tool to steady their stress levels and improve their focus during long study sessions.