Studying With Music

Many of us enjoy studying while listening to music. I do not want to say that their is a right or wrong type of music to listen to while studying but there is definitely a more effective music to listen to. Yes, I turn on my favorite tunes in the car or while at home relaxing. However, I usually (like most of you) use music to take my mind off of school, work, and the other cares of the world. Frankly, if I am going to be spending my time studying I want my focus to be on what I am studying not my music.

Generally, I only put my headphones on when I am not in a quiet study area. This includes my apartment (especially when my kids are running around), the library (when people are talking, eating, or making annoying repetitive sounds such as typing or tapping a pen), or any other public location. 

I have a few simple guidelines when it comes to choosing study music that I try to follow at all times. It does not matter how much studying I want to get done, if I listen to music without following these guidelines I will not get any studying done. Check them out:

1. No Lyrics: Music with lyrics distract from what you are studying. Often times one will fined themselves thinking more about the lyrics they are listening to instead of what they are studying!

2. Avoid Loud Music: Many of us like bands with jamming guitars and fast beating drums. The noise created by this music can be just as distracting as someone eating a bag of potato chips next to you in the library. It will often times break your focus and put you in an anxious mood. 

3.  Low Tempo: The tempo of the music can also play a big role in how one studies. I like to be relaxed (not sleeping!) while studying. Fast paced music sometimes interrupts ones ability to slow down and think deeply about what they are studying. Why do you think Hollister and all those other clothing companies play the fast beat music? Simple, if you feel like you are in a hurry you might make the rash decision of over paying for a shirt that you otherwise may not have purchased! May not make sense to you but it sure makes sense to me. Tricking myself into thinking I understand something is pretty easy when I am anxious or in a hurry. 

The guidelines are simple and have definitely helped me choose effective study music. Below is one of my study playlists. This list may not be for everyone but be creative and find music that HELPS you and does not hinder your studying. You are not limited to classical music by any means. There is plenty of suitable music that involves pianos, guitars, brass instruments, and whatever else you can think of.

Feel free to post songs that you like to study to in the comment section!

Interviews: How to tie a tie

Gentlemen, and possibly ladies. Some of you may be reading this article because you have an interview and you want to know how to make your tie look good. Others of you may be here because you have a significant other who is failing miserably at tying a tie and has an interview coming up soon. Whatever the reason may be, remember tying a tie takes practice and it takes even more practice to make it look good.

Whether you have a few weeks or a few months before your interview, start practicing now. Take a few minutes each week to practice tying your tie. This will not only help you get better at it but may help relieve a small portion of stress on the day of your interview.

there isn't much you need in order to start practicing tying your tie. The obvious item is the tie. Other additional items that may help is a collar shirt, a mirror, and a friend to tell you how it looks (feel free to e-mail me a picture and I will let you know what I think of your knot).

Time to get started. I was thinking of creating my own videos for this post, however, I remember a wonderful website called YouTube. It may be somewhat difficult to learn just from a video so I hunted down some diagrams that hopefully will be of some assistance to you.

There are a variety of ways to tie a tie. Just remember that not all ways are created equal. My personal favorite and the one that looks the best is the full Windsor. The full Windsor gives the tie a nice balanced look.  Other knots such as the Pratt knot makes the tie appear to be lopsided and uneven. Keep things like this in mind when choosing a knot for your tie.

Good Vs. Bad


Good



Bad

You are going to want to work the knot a little bit to get it more triangular looking like the ones in the above pictures.

Full Windsor

Like I said this is my favorite knot and looks the best. When it comes to rating this knot I would give it a 10/10. It doesn't get any better than this. This is going to be a bigger knot than half-Windsor or others so you may need the skinny end to be a little shorter. You will need to find out the right length for yourself and that is why it takes practice.

Picture



Diagram


Video

Keep in mind that these videos are teaching you how to tie the tie not how to make the knot look good. In fact, the completed product in both of these videos falls below the standard of looking good.





Half-Windsor


The half-Windsor is another nice knot. This may be good for a more causal outings or for someone who needs a little easier knot to tie. If done properly this can still look nice. This knot gets an 8.5/10 in my books.

Picture


Diagram

Video




 
Pratt (Shelby) Knot


I have never tied this knot but it seems to be a popular knot. From what I have seen of this know I would give it a slightly higher rating than the half-Windsor, 9/10. This is a good alternative to the full-Windsor, especially if you are looking for a smaller knot.

Picture





Diagram



Video






Hope these videos and instructions help you to get ready for your interview. Please ask any questions or suggestions in the comment box. Once again, if you want me to take a look at your knot send the photo my way and better yet if you want your knot posted to this page you can do the same!