There have been a lot of downsides to the 21st century. International strife. Economic upheavals. Justin Bieber. But – given all that – one thing is for certain: sophisticated audio headphones suitable for listening to our favorite tunes have been a blessing. The impact that these devices have had on our day-to-day life is almost unmatched. Studies show that music, almost more than any other variable, has a huge impact on teen life. Many students bring their phones and other electronic devices to school. We use these to house those cherished MP3 files that are used to alleviate the pains and stress that accompany the average school day at North Atlanta. Their use – and their efficacy – is broadly established. “Headphones allow us to take the edge off an otherwise tough school day and that’s something I think everyone needs,” said sophomore Miles Jackson.

Sadly, because our school administration is not from our generation, there is not universal approval for headphones at North Atlanta. In fact, there use is banned in our hallways. But without music we lose a vital stress reliever that lets us stay more focused on our work.

Yes, it would be a stretch for us to think that use of music players during instructional time would be a good thing. There’s no sense denying that this would be distracting to us and others. But a fair middle ground would be allowing use of our headphones and music players during the transition times between classes. The eight minutes of soothing music we’d gain would be a lifesaver for students, and would help us be more focused for class when it’s time to turn the music off and get down to work.