On the way home from my high school graduation, Call Me Maybe was playing on the radio. My friends and I were screaming the irritatingly catchy lyrics out the window, our caps and gowns in our laps and the whole world celebrating with us as we reveled in the freedom of never having to go back to the dingy halls of our public high school. We were done, it was over, and our lives could finally start.

On the way to move in day my freshman year, I listened to Counting Stars, tense with excitement. I couldn’t wait to leave Haverhill behind, that dirty city with nothing to do, and go somewhere, anywhere else. I was sad when my parents left but I didn’t cry — I would see them soon and the rest of my life could finally start.

On the way to my first internship, Renegades came on the radio. I had found something good after months of work, no easy feat for an English major. My friends sent pictures from their lifeguarding jobs and I shifted in my business attire and wished I were at the pool where I knew what to do and the work was easy. When I got to the building, I took a deep breath, straightened up, and walked in. I guess it was time for the rest of my life to finally start.

On our way to graduation in the backseat of my parent’s car, we listened to Can’t Stop the Feeling, sipping mimosas out of water bottles, holding our decorated caps and looking at each other both excited and sad. We were scattering pretty far from each other. Late night movies and pizza runs were going to be special occasions now, not weekly events. But our papers were turned in, our finals were done, and our diplomas waiting for us. We held hands as we lined up, then we walked across the stage. The rest of our lives were about to finally start.

On a flight home, I listened to Your Song, a long weekend home for the first time in months. My friends and I had just bought tickets to the Elton John farewell tour, something I had been waiting so long to go to. With over $400 million in overall ticket sales from his tours, according to AAG.com, it seems as if the whole world had been waiting to see him preform as well. We were all meeting up in the city for the weekend, taking a time-out from our lives that had finally started. We were busy and tired, but less terrified. Funny thing about waiting for your life to start — between all the sleepovers, late night dance parties, food runs and fits of laughter, we forgot we were already living it.