Count the Beats

I got in the car today to go to my internship and Ke$ha's "We R Who We R" was on the radio. It made me half smile, given the condition of the roads today. That was the song that was blaring through my speakers when I spun out on I-15 right by the Port of Entry on my way back to school during my freshman year. It was snowing that day and the roads were slick. I wasn't going very fast, but I tried to slow down so I didn't run into the car in front of me. Something happened and I did a complete slow-mo 360 on the freeway, right at the mouth of the on-ramp where the trucks were pulling onto the road. It was most terrifying thing that has every happened to me. Every time I hear that song, it reminds me of it.

Some people associate memories with smells. For me, majority of mine are tied to songs. College is no exception. I've discovered more songs and bands during the last three and a half years than I can count. Part of it is because I finally had a computer that I could spend endless hours on Youtube with. Another part of it is my social media use. I find so many songs on Twitter and Tumblr. I've been feeling very nostalgic lately, probably because I'm graduating in a few days, so I put together a college playlist. Enjoy!

Freshman Year:
Katy Perry's entire Teenage Dream album. I discovered this that year. Still a solid album almost 4 years later. "Not Like the Movies" still stands out as the song that helped me find the answer I needed. I bawled all the way through the canyon that day.

Katy Perry "In Between" This one is all about a boy. The relationship didn't work out, but I did learn a lot about myself. I think I cried the first time I heard this song because it was so pertinent to my situation.

Ferras "Something About You" Fall, watching the leaves change.

Bat For Lashes "Daniel". This is wintertime for me. Sitting in the Hub staring out the windows and watching everyone pass when I should have been working on homework.

Temper Trap "Sweet Disposition" Attempting to sunbathe on the grass with Esther and Mabel the very first warm day of Spring.

Phoenix "Listomania" Finals week. My roommate Esther and I played smash ball in our tiny hallway while listening to this. We lost the ball outside one day, so we tried to play with pine cones. It didn't work well.

Sophomore Year

Katy Perry "The One That Got Away" This song just feels like fall. I made my roommates watch Ellen with me the day the video premiered.

Katy Perry "Part of Me" The Grammy's. Made my roommates watch those too. 

Goyte "Eyes Wide Open" Spring. Studying in the library.

M83 "Midnight City" I heard this song the very first time I ever watched Coachella (on Youtube of course. I don't have that much money.) 

Junior Year

Taylor Swift "I Almost Do." Rainy day walking on campus thinking about calling someone I wanted to talk to. I didn't.

John Mayer "Edge of Desire" "Not Myself" I was walking home from work late one night and I looked up. The sky was super dark, but there were stars. It was gorgeous and I felt so small. Sometimes you just need those moments.

Angus and Julia Stone "Big Jet Plane" I got sick and I remember listening to this over and over in my pain killer dazed state. It was so sad.

Parachute "White Dress" They played the End of Year Bash. My three best friends came up and went to the concert with me. It was one of the best nights. 

Senior Semester

Panic at the Disco "Collar Full" Infatuation is always fun...until it ends.

Katy Perry "Roar" When the Homecoming Dance sucks, you have a dance party in your living room instead.

The Joy Formidable "The Leopard and the Lung" This is going to be the graduation song, I think. I found it last week and I can't stop listening to it. It's just one of those songs where it starts and you get the best kind of lost for a few minutes.

I'm sure there are tons more, I just can't think of them right now. Only 2 more days until I'm done! Am I ready for this?