Finals have never really bothered me. You sit for two hours, scribble an equation or two, and then you're done. At that point, nothing you can do will change the outcome. It's just whatever.

The real problem lies the week before. You can study, or go to a movie. Study, or hang out with your friends. Study, or sleep. And, at least for me, studying is never high on the list.

But there is the one magical, amazing way to keep yourself focused: listening to music. (Actually, I've heard that drinking a lot is supposed to help, because you can't fall asleep if you need to relieve yourself ... but, you know, it's not something I'd try).

In terms of music, there are a couple ways you can take it. Classical music is indeed the classic, and it's supposed to expand your mind (or whatever). However, there are alternatives that are still conducive to studying and don't feature swelling violins or screeching operatic sopranos. So …

Dream-Pop / Acoustic Indie / Folk

Pros: This is actually my favorite genre. It tends to be light and not loud, and flowing acoustic parts are pretty soothing to nerves damaged by hours of intensive calculus.

Cons: You may actually fall asleep while listening. It's quiet, and not attention-grabbing. Maybe you should try the drinking thing, after all.

Some recommendations in this genre:

• Sufjan Stevens: Oh, how I love Sufjan Stevens. His albums are highly intelligent and well-written, but unobtrusive at the same time. If you're looking for a good album, "Illinois" is definitely where it's at. For a playlist, tracks like "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" and "Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step Mother!" are not to be missed, despite their outlandish titles.

• The Decemberists: For you sophomores in World History, this indie folk group takes its name from the Russian December Revolt. So there's your studying, right there. Generally, though, The Decemberists tend to have light(ish) acoustic songs, with lyrics based on old folktales and stories. If you're not the type to get distracted easily, it's definitely interesting. For an album, hit up "The Crane Wife," and if you just want a few songs, I'd recommend "July, July!" or "O Valencia."

• Laura Veirs: Well, her lyrics aren't filled with stories like the others, but Veirs is definitely a brilliant artist and vocalist who can easily hold her own. I've just recently acquired an old copy of her album "Saltbreakers," and her descriptions are just heartbreaking. For single tracks, go for "Cast A Hook In Me" and "Ocean Night Song."

If you liked those, try: Ronnie Day, The Dandy Warhols, Ivy, Bright Eyes, and The Shins.

Wordless / World Music

Pros: For those of you who can't concentrate and listen to versed music at the same time, this is pretty much your only nonclassical genre. Styles here vary as widely as you can imagine, so there's a good chance of finding something you like.

Cons: If things are too "ethnic," it does have the tendency to sound like you're in a bad Mexican restaurant. And the selection is so wide, you might have trouble finding anything that suits you.

Electo-Pop

Pros: It's bright and cheerful, a fantastic way to keep yourself from thinking about all the things that you could do to yourself with a mechanical pencil that would get you out of studying. The volume remains relatively constant, so there's not so much of a chance of it being a distraction.

Cons: Do you really want to hear someone chirp about their love life over poppy synthesizer? And it does have the slightest tendency to sound repetitive.

Some recommendations:

• Stars: Stars are definitely indescribable. Beautiful, beautiful vocals, incredible range of emotion. For a band that's pretty much a side project for all its members, they've managed to produce an eloquent yet nuanced sound that's uniquely their own. Buy "Set Yourself On Fire" this very instant if you don't already have it. Or, at least get a hold of "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" and "Elevator Love Letter."

• The Postal Service: Brilliant pop. Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and producer Jimmy Tamborello team up for some of my favorite zoning-out music ever. They've got a darker edge than most of their peers; there's no falling in love, but a lot of falling out. Though their only album is currently 2003's "Give Up," it's a good buy, and includes some fantastic tracks like "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" and "Clark Gable."

• Her Space Holiday: One of the most flexible pop artists, Her Space Holiday (aka Marc Bianchi) has a sound that ranges from classic bouncy pop to a harder rock-edged electronica. It's wonderful for studying because it retains its interest without requiring a lot of thought. In terms of albums, I'm equally disposed to "Home is Where You Hang Yourself" and "The Past Presents the Future." But you can't really go wrong with anything.

If you liked those, try: Aqualung, Au Revoir Simone, Belle and Sebastian, Frou Frou, and Metric.

But the best song of all is...

Citizen Cope's "Let The Drummer Kick." I'm not really a big Citizen Cope fan; actually, I find him rather pretentious. But this song is the perfect studying song of all eternity. I mean, the lyrics are just a straight study in vocabulary. Listen, and you'll get that joke.

So while you're studying (or pretending to study) for finals, keep these suggestions in mind. Because, you know, it's better than the alternative … it can't even be healthy to drink that much.