What's Your "Hype Song"? (Fall 2022 Edition)

Prior to every semester, I ask my students to complete a pre-course survey. Some of the questions require them to reflect on and self-assess their learning up to that point and to let me—as their professor—know what they ultimately hope to get out of the course they will soon be taking with me.

Other questions in the pre-course survey are a bit more, well, untraditional. For example, one of the questions I ask is: “What’s your ‘hype song’? What’s that one song that makes you feel excited, gets you energized, or gives you your swagger?”

Why? Science suggests that listening to music can change mood or motivation.

I ask students to identify their “hype song” so they can be mindful of how listening to that song can help them overcome bouts of procrastination or get inspired for an upcoming assignment in the semester or bar preparation.

Here is a list of my students’ “hype songs” on Apple Music, representing a variety of classic rock, metal, hip hop, pop and other genres across several decades, from ABBA to Yung Gravy.

What's your "hype song"?