Many of us college students have long rides back home for winter break and the key to any car ride, flight or train ride home is a great playlist to keep you from utter boredom. Music has been a huge part of my life and I try to listen to new music and new artists as much as I can. However, for a car ride home, I like to listen to songs I can sing at the top of my lungs.

I have come up with a ratio for the playlist. So if each song ranges from 3-4 minutes, that allows approximately, nine songs in a half hour. I recommend starting the playlist with a feel-good song to set the mood. You wouldn’t want to start your playlist feeling sad or in a slow mood. You want to feel energized like you have the power to get through the ride ahead of you. Then move into a throwback, something to bring you back to your childhood. Something to remind you of home to get you excited for the rest of winter break.

If you’re a true lover of the holidays, I would definitely recommend putting in at LEAST one Christmas song just to get you in the festive mood. However, if you choose against this, I would then put in a newer song. Something you have recently found and can’t stop listening to. If you did put in the Christmas song, then you can just pop the newer song in right behind the holiday jams. Then a slower song that you can sing along to moving your hands around, pretending like you feel all the emotions in the song. Some Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran or Adele song - if you know what I mean.

I would then add a song that I don’t typically listen to, something old. And yes, I know that old is a relative term, so you feel free to decide how “old” you want this song to be. Old could be ten years ago, or forty years ago, or eighty years ago. Either way, something feel-good and old. Then, personally, I would go for a 2000’s jam. Something that makes me want to laugh and smile. Then, two more newer songs. One that makes me want to dance, and then another that makes me want to sing along to and just jam out.

To end the playlist I would listen to a song from the summer. Something that makes me think of warm nights and the beach. A song that you feel is your anthem, something you could listen to for hours on end. By ending with your anthem you’re putting yourself in the perfect mood to hug your family and wish them well. So if your ride is an hour, just double this recipe for your playlist, and so on and so forth. Good luck picking your playlist songs!

My playlist would be as follows:

1. F*** Apologies by JoJo feat. Wiz Khalifa
2. Almost by Bowling for Soup
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Michael Bublé
4. Lightweight by Demi Lovato
5. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding
6. Sugar We’re Goin’ Down by Fall Out Boy
7. Steady 1234 by Vice
8. Can I Be Him by James Arthur
9. Lush Life by Zara Larsson