Everyone here at Case Western Reserve University is busy. Homework, sports practice and volunteering, combined with everyday tasks such as folding the laundry that sadly won’t fold itself, take up a majority of students’ free time. Even with packed schedules, however, snippets of free time are scattered throughout our days. But what are students doing in this rare free moment? Moreover, what should students be doing at that moment? Listening to amazing music, of course. The time to vibe to a song can be as short as the walk to KSL or during our brief study breaks, or can be as long as the occasional album binge. Either way, the songs that fill these moments are small pockets of joy that break up our monotonous routines. This is especially true when the emotions of the music match those of the listener.

Currently, there are lots of feelings going around campus: excitement over successful Marriage Pact matches, a sense of calm from not having tests this week (for once) but also stress of looming midterms. Despite this mixed bag of feelings, there is always music to use as an escape or to help us process and reflect upon these feelings. The following playlist hopes to mirror the emotions of my fellow students this week and will hopefully help you to relax, reflect and realize that we are all on this crazy roller coaster together. 

The first quartet of songs are focused around the importance of relaxing when you can. Use these songs to sit, close your eyes, and breathe. 

“The King” – Sarah Kinsley 

If the essence of happiness and the joy in life were captured, this is what it would sound like. 

“Free” – Kidswaste

Sit and close your eyes. Allow this beautiful song to provide you with the perfect four minute opportunity to appreciate yourself. 

“Banana Pancakes” – Jack Johnson

There is beauty in the simple things, like making pancakes. This song perfectly displays the importance of making time to get away from sources of stress every so often.  

“Exhale” – Sabrina Carpenter 

As a perfect way to close up this section of the playlist, Carpenter gives the best advice of all: breathe for a minute. 

Some people’s thoughts are wandering away from academics this week as they meet up with successful matches from their Marriage Pact results. I know a fair few who have sparks flying between them, so the possibility of new love is in the air. The second set of four songs in this playlist are centered around the exciting feelings of newfound romance. 

“So This Is Love” – Emily Watts

Sweet and pure, like the feelings of a romantic spark. 

“No Bad Days” – Yabou & Tera Kòrá

The right person can make even a bad day a good one. The best feeling is finding someone who can turn your day around, so that there are “no bad days.” 

“Fallin’” – Alicia Keys

Falling in love is a concoction of emotions. This song perfectly outlines these confusing emotions, reminding listeners that nothing is simple, especially when new feelings are involved. 

“La Vie En Rose” – Emily Watts 

In spite of their complexity, feelings of romance and excitement are some of the best. As Watts explains, they make life bright and pink. 

Even when taking time for comfort and love, familiar feelings of stress and nerves inevitably arrive as our calendars and professors remind us of midterms dates approaching soon. But never fear, even the brilliant singer-songwriters of the past and present experience stress and display it in our final four songs.

“brutal” – Olivia Rodrigo 

Being a student and a young adult is tough at the best of times. It is perfectly normal to feel emotions of anger, frustration and stress, as displayed by Rodrigo. Life is, after all, “brutal.” 

“In My Blood” – Shawn Mendes 

Despite the possibility of feeling overwhelmed, carrying on and pushing through is what we should all aspire to do. Mendes bares all in this emotional piece as he testifies to that ideal. 

“Little Talks” – Of Monsters and Men 

Even with personal struggles, life goes on and the end result will eventually be what we hope for. “Though the truth will vary, this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore.” 

“breathin” – Ariana Grande 

No matter what life throws at you, one thing is a must: “just keep breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin,’” and all will be well.  

Thirty-eight minutes. Twelve songs. Whether you listen to each song on its own or sit down and listen to it in its entirety, I encourage you to use this playlist to remind yourself that many people are feeling similar emotions this week. Music was created to encourage acceptance and discovery of emotions, so let this collection of songs do just that for you.