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A Playlist For A Pick-Me-Up

Music can be a powerful tool for improving your mood.

Gia Guzman

Jun 30, 2020

Providence College

117

I'm a firm believer in the power of music. Music can affect our mood in so many ways. We know this to be true. The songs you listen to when you study are probably very different from what you listen to when you work out. Much of the research done on this shows that our bodies physically react to the rhythm and tone of the songs we listen to. Our heart beats actually sync with the rhythm. Slow songs will slow our heart rate. They might relax us or make us sad. Fast songs will increase our heart rate, which might make us feel excited or energized. Calm songs with some upbeats might make us feel love or happiness. The tone of songs communicate emotions to our brains. Music in a major key is usually more cheerful. Minor key pieces communicate sadness. Music causes our brains to release different chemicals, like dopamine, which is known to be mood-enhancing. And the lyrics of the songs we listen to likely speak to us in some way. We internalize the words and experiences behind these songs even when we're listening while we do other things. In my experience, music has a deep impact on my thoughts and feelings, like listening to sad music when I'm feeling down is likely to bring me to tears. The power of music is that it's something we choose to listen to, many of us enjoy, and it communicates feelings, sometimes without words, that we actually assume from listening. They affect us even after we stop listening.

The last few months have been a whirlwind of emotions for the world and each of us is impacted by that differently. I personally have been on every end of the spectrum of emotions. Things are constantly changing and the Internet overloads us with constant updates. I've been feeling overwhelmed with feelings of sadness and hopelessness and exhaustion because it feels like things are so out of my control. But, I firmly believe in the power of music. Sharing music is definitely part of my love language. And out of love for myself I started making a playlist, tentatively titled "good 4 my mental health." One way I've learned I can cope with these feelings is to exercise more control over how I treat myself. That playlist is meant to be a resource I'm preparing for those days when I'm feeling down and I need a pick-me-up. I've compiled a list of 25 of those songs that I want to share for anyone who needs a pick-me-up in this pandemic.

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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A Playlist For A Pick-Me-Up

Music can be a powerful tool for improving your mood.

1. "I Was Sad Last Night I'm Ok Now" - tobi lou

2. "It Gets Better" - Rex Orange County

3. "get well soon" - Ariana Grande

4. "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse)" - Post Malone, Swae Lee

5. "Know Your Worth" - Khalid, Disclosure, DaVido, Tems

6. "Watermelon Sugar" - Harry Styles

7. "Sunday Best" - Surfaces

8. "Alright" (Explicit) - Kendrick Lamar

9. "Summertime Magic" - Childish Gambino

10. "Good Life" - Kanye West, T-Pain

11. "Wanderlust (Pharrell Remix)" - The Weeknd ft Pharrell

12. "Bloom" - bLAck pARty

13. "Crooked Smile" - J.Cole, TLC

14. "In My Room" - Frank Ocean

15. "The Less I Know The Better" - Tame Impala

16. "Do It" - Chloe x Halle

17. "La La La" - Naughty Boy, Sam Smith

18. "Toast" - Koffee

19. "Wake Up in the Sky" (Explicit) - Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars, Kodak Black

20. "Soulmate" - Lizzo

21. "Show Me Love (EDX Remix/ Radio Edit)" - Sam Feldt, Kimberly Anne, EDX

22. "Put Your Records On" - Corinne Bailey Rae

23. "Love On Top" - Beyoncé

24. "Mood" (Explicit) - SiR, Zacari

25. "MOOD 4 EVA" - Beyoncé Jay-Z, Childish Gambino, Oumou Sangaré

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I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1. Watch an R-rated Scary Movie in a Movie Theater

2. Buy a Lottery Ticket

3. Vote in an Election

4. Participate in a Run (or a Walk, Realistically) for Charity

5. Go on a Road Trip

6. Start a Savings Account

7. Get a Credit Card

8. Sign up for Spotify Premium

9. Go to a Club

10. Start a Meditation Routine

11. Go to a Yoga Class

12. Treat Myself to a Dinner for One

13. Volunteer for a Charity

14. Participate in a Research Study

15. Bake Something (That Ends Up Being Edible)

16. Go Skydiving

17. Be Called for Jury Duty

18. Figure Out What I Want to Do With my Life

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1."But what would happen if we all tried to be like Santa and learned to give as only he can give: of ourselves, our talents, our love and our hearts? Maybe we could all learn Santa's beautiful lesson and maybe there would finally be peace on Earth and good will toward men."

"Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

"If you won't use your heart, who cares if it gets broken? If you just keep it to yourself, maybe it'll be like my rollerblades. When you do decide to try it, it won't be any good. You should take a chance. Got nothing to lose."

"Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

"Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it."

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find a that love actually is all around."

"Sometimes things look good on paper, but lose their luster when you see how it affects real folks. I guess a healthy bottom line doesn't mean much if to get it, you have to hurt the ones you depend on."

"'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.'"

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

"There's room for everyone on the nice list."

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

1. Why are towels considered dirty when you get out of the shower clean?

2. Who closes the bus door once the bus driver gets off?

3. Why is there a "d" in "fridge" but not in "refrigerator"?

4. If you drop soap on the floor is the floor clean or the soap dirty?

5. Is the "S" or the "C" silent in the word "scent"?

6. Does expecting the unexpected make the unexpected the expected?

7. Would Lightning McQueen buy car insurance or life insurance?

8. Who put the alphabet in alphabetical order?

9. What color are mirrors?

10. If 2 mind readers read each other's minds whose mind are they really reading?

11. Is there a synonym for "synonym"?

12. If your shirt isn't tucked into your pants, are your pants tucked into your shirt?

13. Why is it called "quick sand" if you sink slowly in it?

14. If I try to fail, but succeed, which one did I do?

15. If Cinderella's shoe fit perfectly, why did it fall off?

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

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