• Olayinka

Playlists for Productivity: How music helps improve concentration and Focus

Exams and deadlines can cause a lot of stress, which can make studying difficult. Stress during the learning process might help you create memories, but it can also make it harder for you to recall those memories afterwards. ‌This indicates that although stress may aid in the storage of knowledge, it can also hinder your ability to access it. This could result in poor performance in tests due to memory issues.

When under pressure, such as during finals week, which occurs twice a year, music has been found to improve performance. According to studies, music can help kids shine under pressure, turning them from coal to diamonds.

Mozart's Effect

A study from the 1990s found that exposure to classical music, particularly Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos, enhances spatial reasoning abilities and test results. Finding and moving across space, drawing connections between items, and problem-solving are all aspects of spatial reasoning. The Mozart effect came to be known because of this advancement in classical music.

The Blur Effect

Other studies confirmed the Blur effect after the Mozart effect. In this study, children who were given the option of listening to classical music, no music, or the British pop group Blur while taking a test performed better than the other two groups. Researchers hypothesized that the reason why pop music is more popular among young people than classical music is why this impact was greater than the Mozart effect. ‌This data reveals that if you appreciate music, it is more likely to enhance your learning and performance.

 

It's not always the case that listening to music while working or studying reduces your efficiency or productivity. There’s no need to stop listening to music if that's how you prefer to study. You can choose the best music for work and study by keeping these pointers in mind.

Ignore lyric-heavy songs- Any music with lyrics in a language you are familiar with will likely be more distracting than beneficial.

Pick instrumental music that is sluggish- If you're not a fan of classical music, you might want to think about listening to soft electronic, space, or ambient music instead, the kind you might hear at a spa or while getting a massage.

Stay away from experimental or startling music- You can be unsure of what to expect from music that varies abruptly or lacks a consistent rhythm. This may cause mental diversion and prevent you from concentrating on your work.

Reduce the volume- Background music should not be played when studying. Your ability to think clearly could be impaired by excessive noise.

Keep to the tunes you don't have a lot of strong feelings for- Your capacity to focus may be impacted by the music you enjoy or detest.

 

Conclusion

While carefully selecting your music might help you get the most out of it, if you still have trouble focusing, it might be beneficial to think about white noise or alternative audio options. Here is a playlist link with classical music to help you study!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/64gXwFHnq98qoe6rvbVlze?si=F9VPV0xcQBSerJgRFhk5sA

 

  • Mallika Ghuman

5 Movies to get over your breakup!

Breakups, be it mutual or not, always hurt. If you are desperate to feel better and get over your breakup, this article if for you. We have stitched together a list of lovely movies to dry your tears and give you the hope and faith you need back in your like. Here are some of our favourite picks (spoilers included):

 

5. FROZEN: To soothe your broken heart, this Disney movie is a perfect start. This great piece of animation is packed with adorable characters, and a story line based on the love and bond between two sisters. This is the perfect movie to remind you that nothing is stronger than your family’s love, and that there’s no way your stinky ex could match that. Not to forget, that this movie will leave you wanting to surround yourself with people who are, and find you to be, worth melting for.

 

4. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER: This Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel starrer movie is a great example of the ups and downs every relationship can have. Relationships are complicated, and so are people. This movie is a wonderful depiction of how we cannot control the outcome of our relationship. Probably something you need to hear right now.

 

3. LEGALLY BLONDE: There’s nothing better than watching a girl on a mission to win her man back, discovering her true potential and calling instead. This Reese Witherspoon starrer is an all time classic to take you on a journey of emotional and intellectual evolution of a formerly non-ambitious woman. So buckle up, because crying over your ex will only give you dark circles. Get up, own your originality (blonde or not),  and work on your self to become the best version of yourself.

 

2. SOMEONE GREAT: Still simping over your ex? Guess you and Jenny Young, played by Gina Rodriguez, have something in common. This movie is a great watch for you to realise that despite having someone great in your life, sometimes it’s best to part ways. It’s okay to continue to be in love, because it takes time to accept that your breakup is what is best for you and for your ex. Don’t forget to invite your girlfriends over  for some classic ice cream-and-binge sleepover for this watch.

 

1. EAT PRAY LOVE: How could we conclude the list without this gem of a movie? Embark on a journey of self-discovery with Julia Roberts in the lovely countries of Italy, India and Bali. If despite having her life together, she could rediscover herself and happiness, then so can you!

 

Relationships don’t come with an instruction manual to warn us on how to handle them. There is no way to predict the future outcome of any relationship. This makes it important for one to focus on what is constant in your life. Any guesses? It’s you! Be brave, love, get hurt, and dare to love again, because you deserve to give yourself as many chances at love as you wish. But most importantly, love yourself.

  • Muhammad Adrees Malik

ICCT 20 World Cup 2024 and Cricket in Canada

Cricket Canada is lacking in funds and infrastructure for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

After Football has 3.5 billion fans worldwide, while cricket is the second most popular sport, with nearly 2.5 billion people emotionally deeply involved in it. Cricket has a long history in North America, dating back to 1757, when the first match was played between the London Eleven and the New York team.  

Canada Cricket team is participating in ICC (International Cricket Council) World Cup qualifying events regularly and participated in the mega events in 1979, 2003 and 2007. The struggle of Cricket Canada is optimized but still looking for solid infrastructure.  

Canada has one of the world's largest sports infrastructures, with over 30,000 facilities for soccer, baseball, tennis, and basketball, but for the 40,000 professional cricketers who represent 2.5 million Canadians of South Asian origin, there is not even a single grassy facility available to play or host any international cricket match. Only two turf cricket grounds in Canada, one in King City and one in Toronto, are used to host international matches. The most significant barrier to hosting international teams in Canada is the lack of a real cricket ground. 

North America will host the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2024, but the Canadian Cricket team does not have funds to prepare for this mega event. 

Both the USA and Canada cricket teams competed in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 qualifier A in 2021-22. There are up to 20 Canadian national men's and women's team players, including the men's team captain, Pakistani-born Saad-Bin-Zafar.  

Farhan Khan, the General Secretary of Cricket Canada, argued that the federal, provincial, and municipal governments do not provide enough support and funding for the grass roots cricket infrastructure in Canada. 

"Three years of nabbing infrastructure from the city of Toronto administration yielded nothing for us to develop any of Toronto's professional grassy cricket grounds. "We have nothing for you," they replied. Likewise, the Provincial Sports Organization (PSO) and National Sports Organization (NSO). They are focusing solely on baseball and soccer,". 

According to NSO (National Sports Organization) information, Hockey Canada has ($8.85 million), Basketball has ($6.5 million), Soccer Canada has ($4.3 million), Baseball has ($1.5 million), but Cricket has only $119,500. Interestingly, cricket fans who compare cricket to baseball, the first professional T20 Cricket league in the United States has also been announced as the Majour Cricket League season, which will take place in July 2023. Adding the Major Cricket League to US Cricket will help increase cricket interest in North America. To flourish cricket in Canada, it needs better infrastructure, more funds, and socioeconomic support from both society and the government. 

The National Sports Organization provides more than 100 million to Canadian sports organisations and associations annually, but cricket Canada has received only $119,500 in a fiscal year. Cricket needs better infrastructure, more funds, and socioeconomic support from both society and the government.