Music is everywhere, in the car, on the way to class, in the bedroom before sleep.
It's a subconscious soundtrack that pervades every part of life, but what is its effect? Does listening to classical music increase intelligence? And, in a similar vein, is it possible to study while sleeping?
The idea of sleep-learning, or hypnopaedia, combines two things every college student struggles with: sleep and study.
Rachel Freeman, freshman in psychology, is unsure whether listening to educational material increases memorization, or if sleep-learning is possible, but she has had a positive experience.
"I've actually done that before when I was trying to memorize something," Freeman said. "It was high school I had to memorize the Gettysburg Address, and I was so frustrated with it that I bought it on iTunes and put in my ears and just laid there. It actually helped some because it gave me little cues in my brain. In that case it helped me."
A common theme in science fiction novels such as "Brave New World" and "Fahrenheit 451," sleep-learning has been largely discredited since a 1955 study performed by Charles Simon and William Emmons.
The study involved a neurological device known as the electroencephalogram (EEG) and measured the brain waves of 21 adult males attempting sleep-learning.
Conclusion: learning only occurs during the alpha, or near wakefulness, state of sleep.
Therefore, sleep-learning is a misnomer, as all learning seemed to come in a wakeful state.
If sleep-learning is bogus and students have to be awake to study, what role does music play in that study?
"When I'm at home I turn the music on to focus," said Kelly Bodell, freshman in business. "As long as it isn't rap."
Bodell said she listens to classical music, mainly because she heard it helps with study.
"My dad listens to (classical music), so I've always appreciated it, I guess," Freeman said. "He always really liked it, and I always think it makes me smart."
Kimberly Walls, Music Education professor, said she doesn't believe listening to classical music makes a person smarter.
"There is no research proving that it works," Walls said. "It might make children develop earlier, but their peers catch up."
Herbert Denmark, graduate student in public administration and WEGL DJ, said he would listen to classical music as a child because "it was different."
"I don't know if it makes him or her smarter, because I remember when I was 4 or 5 years old watching this classical music commercial or show on TV, and I don't know if that had anything to do with smartness," Denmark said.
Denmark said he doesn't listen to music while he studies or sleeps.
"I listen to music while I am just copying stuff so I don't have to remember it," said Caroline Kelley, sophomore in biomedical science. "If I'm actually trying to memorize stuff, then I'll just do music without words."
Kelley feels music, at least music with words, does hamper her studying.
Whether listening to music or studying in silence, one things is certain, you have to be awake.
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