I’m not really sure what got me into vinyl.

My father has always had a decently impressive collection spread between his closet and my grandparents’ basement back in Wisconsin. I think my cousin had a few albums he never found on CD before the age of digital downloads. And I’ve had a few friends and boyfriends with small collections they cherished.

Whatever it was, I asked for my own record player two Christmases ago and have slowly been building my personal vinyl library ever since. From Death Cab for Cutie’s anniversary release of “Transatlanticism” to a copy of The Doors’ single “Touch Me,” I have searched everywhere I go for favorites new and old.

Now, this is not to say records are convenient. Honestly, paying $25 for music seems virtually horrific since iTunes and Amazon started letting us purchase digitally for $1. Also, when I’m cozy in bed, getting up to flip the record over sometimes annoys me so much I instead stare at my ceiling in silence.

However, there is something so appealing about collecting something that isn’t stamps or state quarters. There is a weird hunt to this one.

While records are gaining in popularity as a music medium, they still haven’t reached stardom where everyone is producing vinyl. There are plenty of albums we have yet to even imagine touching an LP. Yet, that’s half the fun.

Record collecting has led me to the tiniest neighborhoods in St. Louis and Milwaukee where I searched for Father John Misty’s album for months last summer. Record stores were a large part of how I discovered Knoxville when I started school here in August. They also helped me realize my deep love for Nashville.

This Saturday, I will return to Nashville for the extended weekend. There, I will jump between Grimey’s and Jack White’s Third Man Records to indulge in some much needed vinyl crate digging. I will also have the pleasure of hearing local artists celebrate with us and eat some foods I’ve been craving since I left home after Spring Break.

There is nothing specific I am looking to purchase. I’m in more of a browsing mood. I want to enjoy the sounds and people and the hunt.

Often, I feel like we can forget the wonder that comes from searching for something new. Record Store Day is where we remind ourselves and each other to enjoy the scavenger hunt for that album you always wanted to know if it was good or not or stumble upon that gem you forgot how much you wanted.

Most importantly though, Record Store Day is the chance to converse with fellow collectors. Chances are we will compliment each other on our musical tastes and discuss how good that band is live. These are always the conversation topics I have when I enter record stores. Seriously, almost every single time.

Record Store Day is when a million of these conversations happen at once. And I can’t wait for Saturday.

Jenna Butz is a freshman in journalism and electronic media. She can be reached at [email protected].