There is a song for everything out there, from the days when you feel like dancing in the street, to those you want to spend curled up in bed, the dinner party you’re hosting for Halloween, or the pity party you throw yourself when you’re sick and all you want to do is sleep. I’ve compiled eight 8tracks playlists that will help you get through everything this semester has in store for you!
1. Dancing with Myself (https://bit.ly/2IV1uYg)
You’ve snoozed your alarm more times than you can count, or every day this week has felt like a Monday, but you have a to-do list as long as your arm and no time to waste. Whether you need to clean your apartment, do three loads of laundry or cook for the week, this upbeat playlist will get you going and put you in a good mood for the day. You may even find yourself singing along to the songs.
2. Indie Halloween Songs (https://bit.ly/2CcbfjD)
If you’re having friends over after going pumpkin picking or for pre-drinks on Halloween night, this is the playlist to put everybody in a spooky mood. These retro tracks perfectly capture the spirit of the scariest night of the year. While they’re a little bit slower than your regular party playlist, they’re great to set the atmosphere for seasonal events, or if you don’t want to invest in Halloween decorations but still feel like celebrating the season of witches and wizards. They will definitely turn your house into the spookiest one on the block.
3. About the Morning (https://bit.ly/2QJyeGP)
It’s six or seven in the morning, your alarm just rang and you’re already thinking about the end of the day, when you’ll get to fall face first into your bed. If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or if you have a long day ahead of you, this playlist will help you get the energy you need to tackle any assignment, study session or work shift, not matter how long it is. The tracks are upbeat but won’t give you a headache first thing in the morning.
4. Acoustic Obsessions (https://bit.ly/2ITRLSa)
Whether you’re blowing your nose for the twentieth time today or you can’t feel your throat, it happens, getting sick is never pleasant. If you’re already doing everything you can to get better, maybe soft, slow indie folk tracks can help you feel a little warmer. This playlist is better enjoyed under a blanket, in front of a fireplace, or with a steaming cup of tea in your hands, but it will soothe your mind even if you’re stuck in the library, trying to a paper.
5. Pumpkin Pie (https://bit.ly/2PwuE2z)
When you get to the first weeks of October, it can be hard to sit down and appreciate this time of the year because it’s also one of the busiest ones if you’re a student. From pumpkin pie and costume parties to leaves turning the colour of fire, fall has so much to offer, and this is the playlist to listen to when you need a little reminder to slow down and live in the moment, especially when the moment involves hot drinks and candies. Make yourself a cup of tea, find the nearest window or curl up in bed with a book and let the soft, instrumental tracks make you feel cozy.
6. Study You Ass Off (https://bit.ly/2RIDeg5)
If, like me, you get easily distracted, have a thousand open tabs in your browser, and like to look up the lyrics to songs you’re listening to while you’re studying, this playlist will help you concentrate on the task at hand : getting an A. The classical and instrumental tracks in this playlist will help you focus on your work, limit distractions, and calm your nerves with soft sounds.
7. Happy (Hogwarts) Holidays! (https://bit.ly/2EfWTRP)
You’ve been in the library for hours, the chair you’re sitting on is getting uncomfortable, you just finished your coffee and you can hear someone talking on the phone even with your earphones in. You really wish you could be somewhere else, maybe somewhere with quieting charms and cups that refill themselves. While I still haven’t found a reliable magic wand shop in Montreal, or a secret passage leading to the wizarding world, I have a playlist that can help with that. This is the playlist for you if you want to feel like you’re studying at Hogwarts, sitting in your common room close to the fireplace while you can see the snow falling through the window.
8. I’m Getting that Fucking A (https://bit.ly/2yA5ZmB)
Have you ever felt so caffeinated, sleep deprived and desperate that making a Grinch reference in your English Lit essay suddenly seems like a good idea? I know I have. This is the playlist for the last week of the semester, when you’re busy writing papers and studying for exams while the rest of the world is already getting in the spirit of the holidays. This playlist had gotten me through my first university years, and I hope it can help you too. It’s mostly made of pop, indie pop and rap songs, like Haim’s “Don’t Save Me” or Chance The Rapper’s “Cocoa Butter Kisses”, that will make your bob your head at times, aggressively dance at others, to keep you awake until you’re done with your essay.