Music is an important part of college life. Some people use music to help them focus in on something. For example, many students listen to music while studying because the background noise allows them to block everything else out. For others, music is used to set their mood for the day.

Making music playlists can be cathartic—you can browse through a collection of music and choose which songs represent the emotions you are feeling at that moment. Playlists can also become somewhat addictive, as I’ve found myself creating playlist for different times of day or activities. Many students have songs for working out, falling asleep and driving. Others may have them for walking to class or waking up in the morning. I once met someone who had playlists for every kind of weather.

Music is a form of expression, a way for people to recreate emotions through sound, rather than through words. That, essentially is where art, in all its forms, comes from. Art is an outlet for people’s emotions. It’s a way for people to express themselves.

When a musician writes a song, they are creating a narrative of an experience. However, as soon as someone listens to it, that song can be twisted to fit the listeners own experiences. That’s the beauty of music; it can mean more than one thing to more than one person.

So, while not everyone may be musically talented or capable, everyone is able to share in the benefit music gives. It can make you feel happy or sad. Just like with everything else, music can make or break a moment. The wrong song can throw off the entire balance of the day. Maybe this is why when a bad song comes on, people scramble so quickly to change it.

If you’re anything like me, you want to share any new music you love with everyone around you. Eventually people get tired of hearing all your music suggestions, so I’ve found an alternative solution. Being a part of WICR and having two different shows, I can play the music I love and share it with others without driving everyone around me crazy.

It’s important to keep in mind that everyone has different tastes in music. Some, like myself, don’t have a specific genre they listen to. It can be a mix of everything, which makes for some eclectic playlists. However, some people prefer to stick with one genre of music. While this may make them happy for the time being, won’t they eventually get sick of the same thing over and over again? Don’t be afraid to branch out in your musical interests, you may be surprised at what you find. There’s so much music out there and limiting your listening will only help you miss out in the long run.