When you’re studying for finals, you need quality music to fit your mood. (We know that calm music may be good when writing a paper, but it can’t be too calm that it’ll make you fall asleep when catching up on all the reading for that psychology final.) Instead of wasting time aimlessly searching for music, here are some playlists with song suggestions.

Chill Playlist
Super stressed about an exam or paper? Put on this playlist. It’s designed to calm you down and provides pleasant background noise that’s not too overwhelming.
1. Colbie Caillat: “What If”
2. Sara Bareilles: “Uncharted” or “King of Anything”
3. Taylor Swift: Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any Taylor Swift song, so take your pick or add multiple. I know I’m content just listening to T-Swift as I study sometimes.
4. Adele: “Someone Like You”
5. Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield: “Easy”
6. Kelly Clarkson: “Mr. Know It All”
7. Parachute: “She (For Liz)”

Energy-infused Playlist
Need motivation to keep studying for hours on end? This is basically your Top 40 playlist, designed to keep you energized and pump you up. Or if this one doesn’t work, just find Barney’s pump-up mix from “How I Met Your Mother.” One will surely do the trick.
1. Katy Perry: “The One That Got Away” or “Hummingbird Heartbeat”
2. Lady Gaga: “The Edge of Glory”
3. Rihanna (feat. Calvin Harris): “We Found Love”
4. Nicki Minaj: “Super Bass”
5. David Guetta and Usher: “Without You”
6. Maroon 5 (feat. Christina Aguilera): “Moves Like Jagger”
7. Selena Gomez: “Love You Like a Love Song”
8. Beyonce: “Love on Top”
9. Gym Class Heroes (feat. Adam Levine): “Stereo Heart”
10. Dev: “In the Dark”

Lyric-less Playlist
This playlist is ideal for those who prefer instrumentals or are distracted by song lyrics when studying.
1. Classical music: Choose your favorite aria.
2. Movie scores: For this playlist, I recommend picking your favorite movies and looking up their scores. For example, I often listen to the “Love Actually” score when I’m studying but don’t want the distraction of lyrics. Plus, by picking a favorite movie’s score, you’ll be reminded of moments in the movie, which is bound to put a smile on your face, or at least put you in a happy state of mind.
3. Instrumentals of your favorite songs: Great choices, if you can find them. Don’t spend too much time searching, though.
4. Music in another language: You can have lyrics, but you won’t actually understand them. Therefore, they can’t be distracting!

Christmas Playlist
Hoping to pass the time by getting in the Christmas spirit? Then this playlist is for you.
1. Mariah Carey: “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
2. Glee: “Extraordinary Merry Christmas”
3. Taylor Swift: “Christmas Must Be Something More”
4. Jackson 5: “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”
5. Celine Dion: “O Holy Night”
6. Justin Bieber: “Mistletoe”
7. Britney Spears: “My Only Wish (This Year)”

Soundtrack Playlist
Feeling sentimental or need words of encouragement? Then showtunes will probably be your best bet. Here are some of my favorite songs from musicals and movies.
1. Wicked: “Defying Gravity”
2. Disney: There are so many quality Disney songs to choose from that are guaranteed to put you in a positive state of mind. They’re fun and bring back childhood memories. A good choice to make you less stressed and more cheerful as you plod through all the studying. For extra cheer, find that wonderful “Mulan” tune.
3. Rent: “Seasons of Love”
4. Hairspray: “You Can’t Stop The Beat”
5. Les Miserables: “On My Own” is a great song to listen to when you’re locked in the library at 3:55 a.m., essentially alone. Going solo all the way.
6. Simon and Garfunkel: “Mrs. Robinson”
7. The theme song from “Friends”: “I’ll Be There For You”
8. The theme song from “Cheers”: “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” While you may not have watched “Cheers,” this song is very comforting and thus made the list.
9. Glee’s version of “Don’t Stop Believin’”: Don’t stop believing that you can and will make it through finals. What better than “Glee” to inspire you to go the extra mile and achieve the best grade you can?