Music is everywhere in our lives. It’s in the background at stores, the thing we listen to cars, the noise filling the bus ride. Music is the beat we move to, whether it’s through our headphones, our speakers, or stuck in our head.

Music can cheer me up on a bad day, give a voice to whatever it is in my head, give me the motivation to push my way through a workout, or anything in between. Music does different things for different people. Some don’t listen to any besides in the car, and then it’s just a filler. Others don’t just use it, they listen to it every moment of the day.

“I listen to music in the car because when no one else is in there I can scream along to it.” said Madison Hunke (‘20). People can be passionate about music. Earlier today I was listening to my friend, Cael Nolan (20) talk about how he was excited when an artist he’d been following for years compiled all their singles into a single album under one name. He was much more animated and excited than most topics. Music can be a large part of people’s lives, as it is in mine.

Others can find meaning in songs that go unnoticed by others. Songs can cheer you up even when to others they’re slow. Or a peppy song might make you sad. Songs can remind you of people and times in your laugh that were better, or worse. I know songs that fill me with nostalgia and longing to go back to when I didn’t have so many things to worry about. Other ones make you see things in a new light. Me and a friend have playlists for each other with songs that make us think. Music can be a force of nature.

If you don’t listen to music that much, try it. I know that you’ve probably heard this dozens of times, but music is amazing. I can’t recommend it enough. Ask friends for recommendations if you’re not liking anything lately. A personal favorite of mine is Imagine Dragons. They’ve got a lot of good songs that aren’t incredibly popular too. Give them a try, you might like what you hear.