The other day, I was procrastinating on my laptop, watching old vine complications, when I watched a commercial to advertise Pandora Premium. This would not really matter usually, but the emphasis of the video, that your music choices makes up part of who you are, got me thinking about my own music preferences. So, here are just 12 songs that tell you a little bit about who I am, and their stories behind them:

1. “Grand Optimist” by City and Colour

The first time I heard this song, I was lying on a blanket last summer in front of my house. I remember how warm the sun was and the cool summer breeze would dance by as I would write my stories. This song always makes me so calm and happy. There is just something about City and Colour that is very relaxing to listen to.

2. Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson

This song always reminds me of my older sister. I admire my sister so much and see her as a role model, that when I was younger, I would immediately think whatever she liked was simply the best thing ever. So, when she listened to this song, I had loved it. However, as I grew older, I have never lost my love for this song, even though I cannot stand banana. My favorite thing to do is to listen to this song when it is raining.

3. “A Soft Place to Land” by Jessie Mueller, Keala Settle and Kimiko Glenn from the Waitress soundtrack

First of all, the harmonies in this song lulls me to sleep in such a lovely way. But the main reason that I chose this song is because of the nostalgia I get every time I listen to it. The song reminds me of baking so many delicious pastries and goodies with my mom. She is an amazing cook, and I was obsessed with helping out with my mom and I would help her cook everything (I even had a signed Emeril Lagasse cookbook!).

4. “Remember Me” by Miguel ft. Natalia Lafourcade from the Coco soundtrack

I know this song has just came out, but I am already obsessed, and I know that it will always be an obsession for me. The focus of remembering those we have lost reminds me of all the people who have passes away, and the deaths that have affected me. I have always enjoyed the thought of loved ones being okay and celebrating their memory seen most clearly in Día de Los Muertos.

5. “Ya No” by Kuky

This song was the first song that I had learned to sing in Spanish all the way through when I was 9 years old. I remember hanging out with my cousins and singing as much as we could to this song…this and the “Chicken Noodle Soup” song that EVERYONE (including myself) was obsessed with in 2007.

6. “Hoja En Blanco” by Monchy & Alexandra

There are some songs that are just a part of your childhood forever, and “Hoja En Blanco” was that song. This song was played at EVERY single party, domino game, social event, Saturday house cleaning, etc. I remember so many good memories whenever someone would play this song wherever we were.

7. “Alphabet Aerobics” by Blackalicious

The first time I saw this song and said; “I want to do that” was when Daniel Radcliff had performed the “Alphabet Aerobics” in 2014, so I was 16 years old. I was fascinated in the way that you could speed up and slow down the rap, so I studied it and thus began my love for old school rap music. This love has only evolved and now is even allowing me to even think about a thesis paper about rap music for my senior year of college. Fun fact: I can still say the whole “Alphabet Aerobics”.

8. “Magic Dance” by David Bowie in the Labyrinth soundtrack

Words cannot describe how much I adore this song. I have an unnatural obsession with David Bowie’s Labyrinth and I cannot truly explain why. The movie has everything; magic, fights, feminism, puppets and David Bowie’s dramatic entrances with an obscene amount of glitter that is oddly perfect. The first time I watched this movie and heard the soundtrack, I was entranced by its beauty, so of course “Magic Dance” had to be in this list.

9. “She’s Leaving Home” by the Beatles

The storyline of this song draws me in every time. I am with the girl as she is waiting for her appointment, and I am with the mother as she cries for the loss of her child choosing to disappear. It reminds me of when I would travel on my summer trips, where I would pretend to be a spy, pack a backpack of stuff, and just walk until I got tired, pretending I was meeting someone important.

10. “Sweet Creature” by Harry Styles

Now, I will first say that this song isn’t really tied to a memory, but more like a feeling. (DISCLAIMER: I still do not like One Direction, HOWEVER, this album is fantastic) “Sweet Creature” is one of those songs that I really like to journal to and get out my emotions from the day. I honestly truly appreciate how indie-pop this song is and how it draws me in. Also, the transitions of this album that certain songs have to one another just makes me want to listen to the whole album and sing along.

11. “That’s Amore” by Harry Warren and Dean Martin

I had not heard of this song until I watched the movie Moonstruck for the first time with my family. This movie is also a large part of my childhood. I still watch this movie when I am sad or just thinking about it. If you haven’t watched Moonstruck, then I highly suggest that you add it to the top of your watchlist of movies. Being able to see so many strong female lead characters in films as a child, and being inspired by my own mother to be a strong woman as I grew up, allowed me to view my independence and strength in a better light.

12. “I See Fire” Ed Sheeran

This song just reminds me of my love for Lord of the Rings every time I listen to it. The song itself was made for the Hobbit movie franchise, but it enraptures the same feelings of wonder and dread that I had the first time I had discovered J.R.R. Tolkien and his wonderful books. I have always adored reading and whenever I listened to this song, I can imagine the same imagery I had read in the novel, which reaffirms my love for the magical world that I discovered years ago.

These songs are not the only things that truly represent my memories and personality, however, I will say that these twelve songs have truly impacted me in my life and I hope they impact your life as well.