Opinion Article

Headphones are a the simple, convenient invention that allow people to listen to their music without disturbing the people around them. There are many different varieties of headphones: over the ear, in ear, sport, even wireless. Of course, when choosing headphones many decisions go into picking just the perfect pair for your sensitive ears. First, you must consider the sound quality, then the comfort, then of course the price. You want to make sure that when you blast your music and close yourself into your own world that you have the opportunity to understand your music and enjoy it. Unfortunately, the thing most people don’t take the time to consider what it sounds like to the people around them.

Your music is very personal. The bands you listen to, the genre of music you particularly enjoy, and even the artists within the genres. Now in a given crowd, your music most likely differs from the people around you. For example, if you are rocking out and blasting Kanye’s new hit single, the person sitting next to you, who we will say in this situation enjoys classical, probably does not want to rock out with you. As I am sure, if the situation were flipped, you probably would not want to sit there trapped listening to Mozart blasting through their Beats headphones… ha.

Now, how is this relevant to me? Here in the wonderful environment that is Melrose High School, there are quite a few people who have taken their music choices and decided to push it upon everyone else. Now, I know what you are all saying: “Headphones aren’t even allowed!!!” Yes, the tragedy, but that rule doesn’t apply to hallways or certain teachers’ discretion. Walking through the hallways doesn’t bother me as much because I can avoid the full blown concerts that people decide to put on. But sitting in class, taking a test, minding my own business, and attempting to focus on a test, like the good students we all are… *cough cough*… I really do not need to suffer through Riff Raffs ‘sick’ new album. I would honestly much rather suffer through a pre-calculus test in silence.

Don’t get me wrong. I completely understand the "headphones in, world out" rule. When I walk home you can bet I have my headphones in; all I focus on is the sound of the music. I most likely have it on full blast, too. Now before you sit here and cuss at your computer screen or the newspaper open in your lap and decide to call me a hypocrite including some other names I am not allowed to write in this little rant, hear me out. I understand that not everyone likes the music I do, I do not expect that, and even if they did, I still would not want to sit and listen to it being paraded through your headphones in the middle of the test.

What I am trying to say in this article is that, in my opinion, there is a time to rock to sox off and there is time to not. “Well, how can I tell if it is an appropriate time to do that?” you may ask, and that, my friend, is precisely the question I was hoping you would inquire about:
The Golden Rule to Listening to Music with Headphones: OPEN YOUR EYES. LOOK AROUND. I cannot stress this enough, but all it has to do with is people. When you are walking home alone and you are in the middle of nowhere, completely alone then go ahead and bump those funky beats. But if you are in the middle of a test, then half volume is completely alright, heck, even 60-75% if you have good headphones. But please, PLEASE, be considerate to the people sitting around you. Now if you are not sure if it is too loud, then take the headphones off, listen real hard, and if you can hear your music with them 5 feet away from your face then guess what… it is TOO LOUD. If you cannot hear it, then you are fine *gives applause*.

Headphones are a glorious invention. Portable music that allows us to momentarily block everything out, but as you are doing that, make sure people don’t need to, in turn, block you out in the process. You were not hired as the DJ for the day, so please do not act like it.

By: Madison Forsberg