My Life's Soundtrack

If Spotify is not open and playing on my phone, then something is seriously wrong. Walking to my dorm? “There She Goes” by The La’s is playing. Doing the dishes? “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5 is playing. Driving two minutes down the road? Obviously “Boyfriend” by Big Time Rush is playing. Music is my jam (pun totally intended).

When music isn’t actually playing from my phone, songs are constantly streaming through my mind, sometimes brought upon by a specific word, other times brought on by a certain mood. The speaker in my brain simply never runs out of battery. 

For me, music is that coveted ice-cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. It’s that ratty old sweatshirt deteriorating in the back of my closet that I just can’t seem to part with. Music is the purple hue in the sunset that only appears after a summer rainstorm. It’s the countless car rides home from school with my sister. It’s the sting on my skin when  met with the bitter cold. Music is the happy days, sad days, good days, and bad days. 

If I need to press pause on my brain, then I just press play on my music. Music is a way for my brain to relax; I don’t need to think about my problems when I listen to it (unless I want to). Music not only helps me process my emotions, but  also allows me to escape if I so choose. If I feel like being in New York City for the night, all I have to do is listen to the bustling beat of Frank Sinatra. If I’m feeling sad and want to get myself out of that mood, then I listen to happier-sounding songs like “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. If, instead, I feel like turning the sadness into anger, “Scream” from High School Musical 3: Senior Year (don’t judge me, you’re missing out) will be blasting through  my AirPods. If I want to stay sad and wallow in it, then I listen to songs that mimic the sadness that I feel. “Talking to the Moon,” by Bruno Mars, is always a solid go-to for this scenario. If I’m feeling nostalgic, I’ll listen to my Disney Channel playlist filled with all things High School Musical 1, 2, and 3, Camp Rock, and Hannah Montana. 

The soundtrack to my life is something that will always remain unfinished. There are still millions of songs that I have yet to even discover. Not only that, but every mood, season, and year deserves its own soundtrack. Over time, certain songs on my soundtrack might get old, but actually listening to music never will.

December 2022