Music may be the breath of the soul...
...
but it can also be the death of your homework.
You may have heard that music is good for the brain and can improve how much you retain from your study sessions, but that's only true if you listen to music before you study.
Not just any old music either.
It's probably best if you stick to instrumental types (you really wouldn't want to end up jotting down song lyrics instead of that math formula, would you?) and avoid those heavy beats that make you want to get up and tango (after all, you were supposed to be sitting down doing homework).
Music isn't the only noise problem.
Any kind of noise can be a distraction, and creating a quiet space isn't as hard as you might think.
You might have a room at home where you can turn into a study monk for a few hours.
That's great.
But if you're not that fortunate, here's what you can do to fight the noise enemy:

• Negotiate.
  Siblings (and perhaps other relatives) are not always as unreasonable as they're painted to be.
  The fact that they're often yelled at to keep quiet is probably the reason why they rarely ever listen.
  Try the soft approach for a change.
  Ask for their cooperation in being quiet for an hour or so, and then offer to join them in a (non-destructive) activity of their choice once the period is over.
  Believe me, you'll be happy for the break, and they will likely make the effort, knowing that something's in it for them.
  
• Buy Earplugs.
  They may look useless, but you would be surprised how much they really work.
  Earplugs do much to block out the noise you may encounter at home, or in a public place.
  Just remember to be alert and don't let your temporarily impaired hearing put you in danger, such as not hearing a fire alarm (or something else of life-threatening importance).
  
• Study at the library.
  It's a treasure cove, woefully underused by students and most others.
  One big advantage of libraries (besides the peace-and-quiet) is that they contain reliable information on nearly every topic-and it's all just a few steps away.
  So, not only do these institutions have strict edicts against noise pollution, they can actually help you finish your homework more quickly and accurately as well.
  

The bottom line is this: you cannot study or learn well in a noisy environment.
The more noise there is, the less you will be able to concentrate on the books.
Oh, you may still be reading words on a page, but your mind will be sub-consciously distracted.
So do your exam scores a favor and cut out the noise.
You can always turn up the music later.