@Armyster Oh well, that's sh*t :/
Just do the pad and pen thing then and type the finished essays into the computer. Noises don't annoy that much when you have everything done and just need to type it down.

could you work at the computer when your family is out of the house?

@Tatari They took my laptop and it stays there for like 2 weeks when they fix it unless it's a bigger problem, then they have to send it to another place and god why now????

@Armyster Oh well, your family seems uncomprehending of your need of silence :/ Just do those "normal living noises" once they want quiet. Be a d*ck, too. I SURE AF would XD
I hope you're getting your laptop by the end of today, so you do not fail high school. If you know you won't, I'd say you write it with a pad and pen first (in quiet and peace) and then type it down on the computer to get your things done. It might be more work at the end of the day, but you have to think about your studies!
Wish you well :)

xo Tatari

Try listening to white noise instead of music.

@KissTheDream this post made me crave for a cocktail. LOL...

@KYX1994 No, it's too big and has too many wires in it and my siblings would hate it.

@Armyster Ah I understand. Also, I'm near a deadline as well so I know full well how that feels :/ Btw have your tried having your headphones on but not listening to any music? It does tend to muffle the surrounding sounds a bit although my ears get kind of painful if I have them on for too long.

Probably stupid question: can't you move the computer to another room? It's somewhat of an emergency since those papers are important, so...

@KissTheDream That sure sounds great, but I am a minor and I have no limits. I guess I'm doing this when there's deadline and I haven't done a thing. Bottles up!

@deniselemus Music doesn't help me, if it's too slow it just makes me angry (I guess it shouldn't but I hate slow music) and if it's uplifting I start dancing. I can't help it. When I hear music I only focus on the music.

@Tatari My family is full of, excuse my language, d1cks. When I ask silence, I get lecture how "normal living noises" (means: sounds that come when you exist) can't distract me and then they just tell me to go to my room, and I would. But it's not a laptop. Mom is going to get my laptop fixed/changed (please get me mac, please get me mac, she won't give me mac but girl can dream!) later today so I hope I get it by the end of the day. If I don't then I dunno, I'm going to flip. I'm addicted to that typing sound I love it so much.

Alcohol. Not much, just a bit. Sounds weird (shouldn't it have the opposite effect?) but it works for me.

I listen to music and anything would do. But there are some good "studying/working" playlists on spotify. If not, you can try just reading something random but interesting. That will make you only focus on the computer and what you are doing instead of your surroundings.

If it was a laptop, I'd tell you to barricade yourself in some room where you can have absolute quiet (I do this in my room when I need to study for exams and tell my mom and sister about it and I close my windows (soundproof) and leave nothing technology-wise on and then I can normally concentrate 100% on my studies since it'd be dead silent) but you said it's a computer...

I'd advise you to ask your family to be quiet since you seem to be able to notice silent sounds, which are distracting to me, too. Ask your family to be as quiet as possible so you can concentrate. Tell them to not read your essays until you're done with them. Chewing gum is more for the remembering part to chew gum in an exam to more easily remember what you studied, so I don't see how that would help with concentration itself.

It seems like your computer is in the living room with you mentioning your family watching TV, etc. so maybe it would help to just put in headphones (no music or anything else) to dim the sounds a little. Otherwise, like Kei_18 said, maybe instrumental study music (you can find a lot of those on youtube) could help you, too, if the quieting of the sounds doesn't help. Otherwise, I have no other advice for you, sorry ^^"

xo Tatari

Have you tried classical music? I heard it is good for concentration. Personally, if I'm using the family computer, I prefer doing my work when everyone's asleep. Thus I do either one of two things: 1) Stay up late and wait for everyone to fall asleep before I do my work, or 2) Sleep early and wake up around 3 - 4 AM and then do my work.

In your case, perhaps you can write the essays (as in literally write using pen and paper) in a place where you can concentrate, then, just type it once you have finished? Double work, I know, but then, if you often get distracted when using the family computer, you wouldn't be able to do any work anyway.

What kind of music were you listening? I kinda get distracted with normal songs I listened to everyday, but instrumental songs help me to concentrate. Just suggestion though... ^^