As the spring semester starts, walking around campus resumes. After doing little to no physical activity during winter break, some students find themselves dreading those long walks up the never-ending stairs to the Hill.
These 10 songs are sure to either aid your dread or allow you to lean into it.
“One of Your Girls” by Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan’s newest pop dance hit, “One of Your Girls,” will turn your walk to class into a strut to class. Starting with the upbeat intro, this song is sure to not only boost your spirits but also give you a boost of confidence.
The line, “Face card, no cash no credit,” makes listeners feel as if they are a Greek sculpture in an art museum, perfectly curated and flawless. This, coupled with the electronic and lively chorus, is sure to allow listeners to channel their inner model walk.
“BLESSED” by Tyler, The Creator
In “BLESSED,” Tyler, The Creator tells the listener everything he is grateful for and how life is going so well. After five long weeks at home, this song relates to students as it describes how they feel returning to campus, reconnecting with their friends and getting back to their routine.
This song is short but sweet. It feels exactly like getting all of your friends from faraway states together and catching up like you didn’t just spend over a whole month apart.
“Buzzcut Season” by Lorde
Lorde has plenty of moody songs that could’ve been included on this list, with “Supercut” almost making it. Yet, something sets “Buzzcut Season” apart from Lorde’s other overcast songs.
Something about the beat in Lorde’s “Buzzcut Season” feels like cold weather. While this song is not outwardly melancholy, the mood of the beat definitely has tranquil undertones. The lyric, “And I’ll never go home again,” is one that a lot of students can relate to after being home for what felt like an eternity.
While being home is nice, getting back into a routine is something that a lot of students look forward to when coming back. Overall, this song sounds like walking to class on a cool foggy morning.
“High & Dry” by Radiohead
Here’s a change of pace. Radiohead’s “High & Dry” is the perfect song to describe the unease the new semester brings. “High and Dry” is exactly how some professors decide to leave their students when they hold off on posting their syllabus on Canvas until 10 minutes before the first day.
The melodic guitar background also brings a sense of gloom to the song which really allows students to mull on their wintry walk to class.
“Normal Girl” by SZA
Despite the title, “Normal Girl” is for the girls — and guys — who are the “it girls.” If Troye Sivan is not your pace, surely “Normal Girl” is. This song is perfect for all seasons, but it is in this compilation because of its multifaceted nature.
The beat is faster and has a happier tone, and the lyrics are catchy, too. This, along with the lyrics, “This time next year, I’ll be living so good, Won’t remember no pain,” gives hope to listeners about the good things to come over the new year.
“drive ME crazy!” by Lil Yachty
The introduction of this song immediately creates a cheery, upbeat and harmonic tune that can easily uplift students when they haven’t seen the sun in days.
Diana Gordon and Lil Yachty have very different voices, yet they somehow pair up to create an uplifting song that can immediately bring up any mood. This reason alone is why it is a great song to have around for when you get down about the sun setting at 6 p.m.
“Wintering” by The 1975
The title of this song should make it self-explanatory as to why it is on this list. It is the perfect song to describe what winter break was as lead singer Matty Healy describes his own experience of being home for the holidays.
While some of the lyrics make it seem as if he did not have a great time, the beat of the song contradicts this and is very upbeat. From talking about what day he’s coming home to not wanting to argue with his family, this song is one that a lot of students can find relatable about their own winter break.
While they may complain about being home for so long, deep down their feelings about winter break are good, much like the contrast here between the lyrics and the beat.
“Cherry Flavoured” by The Neighbourhood
“Cherry Flavoured” is a very serene song. The background features electric and acoustic guitars, which couple with soft vocals from Jesse Rutherford.
Rutherford’s soothing vocals make the song what it is. The lyrics are deep and meaningful when analyzed past the surface level, but when taken for what they are, any listener can relate to them.
“$20” by Boygenius
One struggle a lot of people have when they come back to college from break is getting up on time for class. “$20” by Boygenius is absolutely the perfect song to use as a morning alarm.
From the jump, the beat is loud and energetic. The electric guitar and drums give the beat an almost punky vibe. The song intensifies as it goes on, making it the perfect song to hype yourself up for your first day of class or just to roll out of bed in the morning.
“Cath…” by Death Cab for Cutie
The guitar and drum instrumental introduction make this song the perfect song to describe the feeling of heading back to campus after winter break. This song has the same vibes as a song that would play in the background of a scene where the main character of a movie leaves their town for the last time as they look out the window of a car or train and leave everything they’ve known behind.
The instrumentals of the entire song are extravagant and dramatic. This, along with the passionate vocals, combine to create an epic song.
