Weekly Wildcat Playlist: Pre final exam pump-up tracks

It’s that time of year again. Exams are beginning to pile up and finals are right around the corner. Summer is almost here, we just have to make it through the final stretch. Before going into a final exam, it is important to enter the right mindset, and to pump yourself up a little bit. This can be achieved simply by listening to the right song beforehand. So, to make sure your mind is in the right place before you take your test, try listening to one of these pre-final pump-ups.

1. “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” by Cage The Elephant

There is no better way to sum up the need to succeed than with alternative rock band Cage the Elephant’s easily recognizable mantra. It will get you ready for the exam in no time as you listen to lead singer Matt Shultz belt out, “You know there ain’t no rest for the wicked, until we close our eyes for good.”

2. “We Are The Champions” by Queen

This song’s inclusion on the list is really all summed up in the title. After taking a final exam, you want to have a similar feeling to Alexander the Great when he conquered his empire, or to the UA men’s basketball team at the 1997 National Championship. You want to be the champion.

3. “Duality” by Slipknot

Something about this song just lends itself so easily to pre-exam listening. Although it has no doubt been several years since many people have found themselves listening to a Slipknot track, it may be time to take a trip down middle school memory lane and listen to Corey Taylor scream, “If the pain goes on, I’m not gonna make it!” It’s exam season, so that sounds pretty relatable.

4. “Lose Yourself” by Eminem

At this point, Eminem has basically given himself an inherent right to appear on any and all lists of songs to get you pumped up, so this is no exception. Eminem was able to lose himself in the music, but by listening to this song first, you will be able to lose yourself in your finals.

5. “Enter Sandman” by Metallica

Metallica’s lead vocalist James Hetfield may have just what it takes to give you all the tools to succeed on your finals. A healthy dose of heavy metal never hurt anyone, except maybe the listener’s ears depending on the song, so take a listen here and prepare to take Hetfield’s hand as he leads you “off to never never land.”

6. “Eye of the Tiger” by The Scorpions

Of course, this one is a classic. A no-brainer. Ever since the Rocky film franchise utilized this song, it has been synonymous with success and creating champions. Listening to it before your test will get you in the mood to easily knock out each and every question.

7. “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

What is a final exam really other than a deadly jungle with only some coming out alive afterward? In all honesty, this song should be played simultaneously as every single student across the country is walking in to take an exam. After all, a final exam bears several similarities to a wild jungle cat. They’re both scary, unfamiliar and may cause you severe emotional distress.

8. “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor

With this song by Fort Minor, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park fame basically laid out the basic percentages of what it takes to achieve what you want in life. For anyone still curious, you should divide up your studies into “10 percent luck, 20 percent skill, 15 percent concentrated power of will,” and so on. It never fails.

9. “American Idiot” by Green Day

This one fits perfectly because we all pretty much feel like idiots during finals, and we are all afraid our parents will think that we are idiots if we don’t do well. Listening to Green Day’s legendary anthem before a big test will make you so afraid of screwing up that you will make sure to at least perform adequately.

10. “Ready to Fall” by Rise Against

Just about anything by Rise Against will likely get one pretty pumped up, but this track works especially well because of its lyric relatability during this time of year. As they scream, “I’m standing on the rooftop ready to fall,” you will just think to yourself “same.” Then you will go into your exam and hopefully not fall off the metaphorical roof.

Finals have almost arrived, but try not to freak out. Listening to any of these songs beforehand is guaranteed to boost your exam score by at least 15 percent. This is not true, but they will get you pumped up.

For more playlists by Daily Wildcat reporters, follow us on Soundcloud

Follow Alec Kuehnle on Twitter