Sound Off
I lived 30 days with no music. I am a survivor. This is my story.
I listen to a lot of music. Thousands of hours of music. I turn it on when I drive, walk, and sit. I have it playing in the background when I work. Some might say, I am addicted to music, or rather, I am addicted to noise. A month ago I would have disagreed. Now I’m not so sure.
For the past month, I lived with no music, while keeping a very accurate and scientific log of my responses.
The results may shock you.
“Tell Simon & Garfunkel I found the Sound of Silence, and I don’t like it.”
Day 1: This isn’t so bad. A month isn’t even that long.
Day 3: I only have 10 minutes to work but I still wish I could listen to music on the way. Does this mean I am addicted to noise?
Day 5: I just thought of a song I was recently introduced to and I really want to listen to it. Annoyed that I can’t.
Day 7: I’m going to finish my audiobook instead of listening to music. Making healthy choices.
Day 8: Not listening to music is kind of annoying but it’s still not super hard.
Day 12: This road trip is really long without music.
Day 12.5: Wait, it's only day 12?? Oh boy.
Day 13: Ok the silence on my drive to work is actually kind of nice.
Day 17: Just kidding. It’s getting harder, will it get easier at some point?
Day 19: Maybe starting to feel the withdrawal??
Day 21: I am CRAVING music. Every time I get in my car I want to play something. I find myself talking to myself and making random noises. I think the silence is getting to me.
Day 23: I’m tired of not listening to music. I try singing to make up for it, but it’s a sad substitute. A song is stuck in my head and I really wish I could play something else to get it out.
Day 25: Need music, please. Maybe dying. Send help.
Day 27: This was one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had. I will probably never do this again. I regret all my decisions. All I want is to turn the music up so loud I can feel it in my brain.
Day 30: This was so much harder than I thought it would be. I’m glad it’s over. Tell Simon & Garfunkel I found the Sound of Silence, and I don’t like it.
“Sometimes silence is what you need to talk to and hear God.”
Overall, this month of no music was good for me. I had time to listen to audiobooks I’ve been pushing off, I had more time to be alone with my thoughts and with God, but most importantly, I found that it is possible to live without constant noise. Silence isn’t a bad thing. And sometimes it’s what you need to talk to and hear God.
This month was harder than anticipated. I came face to face with the fact that I am a product of my generation and am almost certainly addicted to noise. How would a month of no music affect your life? Try it for yourself and find out!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tina calls Northwestern Pennsylvania her home, and Queens, New York her sometimes home. She enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, reading captivating and educational books, spending time in coffee shops, and occasionally engaging in an active lifestyle via biking, rock climbing, hiking, and swimming. She values the power of words and loves to see writing change and impact lives. If you’d like to contact her directly, you can reach her at tina.thesimpledesignco@gmail.com.