No matter how you feel about school, the time has come for us to walk through the halls once again. As the new school year approaches, a spectrum of emotions fill my mind and heart while I look at what all comes with a new semester: Joy, frustration and whatever you might find in between. To get me through all of that, here's a list of songs to serenade the sweetest moments, elevate you from the saddest plateaus and serve as the backdrop to some of the most important days of your life.
1. "Jazz (We've Got)" by A Tribe Called Quest
As college students, we are not only entering another year of all-nighters, fueled by red bull or your other drinks of choice. But we are moving on in our lives, entering the future that wouldn't exist without the work that have done to get here. After all that work towards our careers and dreams, sometimes it's nice to kick back and sink into the past. As you do that, let this lush, trumpet rap track take you through those nights when you need to lay back and think about what you're doing with your life.
"Stern firm and young with a laid-back tongue. The aim is to succeed and achieve at 21." The bop of the drums and the flow of these words makes this track simultaneously smooth and wise: Thanks Q-Tip and Phife.
2. "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes
You will probably hear this one every time you are with trying to make your life more like 500 Days of Summer. At some point you might find someone that you wanna go up to and tell them how every moment in your life was leading up to the moment your meeting with them. Cheesy? Yes, but a lot of people have been there and with all the people you will meet in college, it can happen to you. Whether you're trying to convince someone to be your Joseph Gordon-Levitt or your Zoe Deschanel, it'll be hard to not feel warm inside with the innocence and vulnerability peaking through the voice cracks in the vocals of this acoustic nod to love.
3. "Testify" by Rage Against The Machine
Not many songs make me wanna throw myself through a wall while simultaneously making me reflect on the chaos in this world. Sometimes we just need that one thing that will get our adrenaline rushing and since headphones are usually a part of typical college arsenals, get this song going to get your butt in the gym.
But this song isn't just that push to work out. Again, college is a great time to make yourself aware of the world outside of your bubble and that world isn't just sitting there. Despite being released in 1999, the lyrics of this song capture the destruction, turmoil and chaos surrounding us. This song is cathartic, pushing and all-in-all, a song that makes you do something.
4. "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira
Say what you will about pop music, this song is awesome. We all need to have fun and what better way to do that then to blast this song before you go out. A treat from the Colombian singer with a street drum stomp and a rap tinge to elevate any party; your hips will sway and in the very least your foot will be tapping to my favorite track from 2005.
5. "Sedated" by Hozier
There might be times in the year where all of the papers, pressure and work feel like they're suffocating you. It is hard sometimes to find somewhere to turn to and we are left with remnants of better times. The temptation to turn to some type of liquid "cure", mind altering substances and other vices to save us could hit strong.
Don't give into that. Instead, find time to think and you'll be able to sort it out. While this is the saddest song on this list, it covers a spectrum of overwhelming emotions that can take us over sometimes. If anything should be taken away by Hozier's smoky voice, it's that turning to some type of malleable remedy can only trick us into feeling okay, until we need it again. Give yourself time, free yourself from the world outside your room for a bit and you can find peace.
