If you are like me and very lazy, sometimes itâs a struggle waking up at 7 AM to get ready for an 8:35 seminar (who am I kidding, itâs all the time!). I often find myself dreading the walk to campus, especially in the winter months when you have to combat the Great British weather, but what gets me through is knowing that Iâll have the opportunity to plug in my favourite playlist and drown out all my worries with my favourite songs. So, here are my top ten songs you need to add to your playlist (if you havenât already!) that are a perfect travel companion for when you donât feel like walking to uni, and that give the best main character energy when you are strolling around campus on a sunny afternoon.
1. Echo- Olivia Dean
In my opinion, this is THE song for travelling, whether it be walking around campus, or staring out of the bus window on the way home pretending like you are in a music video. There are few songs that capture a nostalgic and warm feeling for me, and âEchoâ by Olivia Dean is one of them. To me, it just feels like coming home and away from the winter cold, which also makes it a perfect song for those train journeys back to your family home in the holidays. The way the pre- chorus builds into the chorus is a certain type of earworm that I regularly find in Olivia Deanâs music, but it helps that Dean is talking about her way home in this song, making it perfect for travel to uni as you can connect to the experience presented within the lyrics.
2. Photo ID- Remi Wolf
Whilst âPhoto IDâ by Remi Wolf seems like a big shift from Olivia Dean, it still features some great walkability with funky production that makes it hard to not dance on your way to uni! The beat is perfect for a walking pace, and the way the first verse builds into the chorus is a great, punchy opening for the rest of this alternative/indie pop classic. It impossible for this song not to make you feel as if you want to dance, and therefore makes it a perfect opener for your trek to uni as it puts a pep in your step.
3. Built this way (SLOW REMIX)- Samantha Ronson
As part of the Mean Girls soundtrack, walking around campus to âBuilt This Wayâ by Samantha Ronson just encapsulates the feeling of being the main character in your own coming-of-age movie, especially with the iconic guitar intro that just gives the perfect movie magic energy. This song, for me, gives the best autumn vibes and is a great soundtrack for the school season, perfect for strolling around campus between lectures or those times when you arenât in a rush to and from uni.
4. Pack up- eliza doolittle
Circling back to nostalgic feeling, another song that captures this energy for me is âPack Upâ by Eliza Doolittle, with the classic 2010s British indie pop production feeling like this song should be in âWild Childâ or âAngus, Thongs and Perfect Snoggingâ. The eclectic style and jazzy elements make this a perfect song to shake off all your worries and have a bit of fun whilst moving around campus, and it’s another great one for feeling like the main character in your own movie, enjoying your walk back home on a sunny evening after a long day at uni.
5. Relationships- haim
When choosing my 10 songs for this article, I really wanted to feature songs that didnât just give me an energy boost for the day ahead, but were also great songs with walkable beats that helped to get me through my hike itself. âRelationshipsâ by HAIM fits that criteria completely- with the bold synth beats being a great motivator to strut along to on a cloudy morning- and it helps to give you a great boost in confidence for the day ahead.
6. Leave it on the dancefloor- hope tala
Whilst the clue is in the name, âLeave it on the Dancefloorâ by Hope Tala is definitely the song that makes you most want to burst into dance on the pavement whilst exploring campus. This song is a funky earworm that gives a great disco energy, which we all need day to day in our lives! When the outro finishes, I constantly find myself replaying this song without getting tired, and it’s a great pick for when you need a bit of a pick-me-up on those long winter evenings after a long day of work and lectures. It helps that the lyrics provide some dance steps, giving a perfect set-up for a dance whilst walking!
7. Real gone kid- deacon blue
An 80s pop rock classic, âReal Gone Kidâ by Deacon Blue is a perfect song for girls on the go who need a moment of escapism from their hectic schedules. The intro of this song is probably one of my favourite song intros ever, with the abrupt opening and the way it builds into the main melody being a fantastic accompaniment to your walks around campus, and it gives me a great boost to conquer whatever problems I need to solve over the day.
8. Peanut butter- hard life
A more laid-back track, âPeanut Butterâ by Hard Life is a fantastic song for those sunny days that seem like summer but are actually in the middle of November! This track is another great one for walkability, with the trumpets bursting through the production being a great boost to the song and being an extra motivator for getting to uni on time! This song is great for a slower approach to your journey, for when you have time to take in your extra surroundings and enjoy the time outdoors. Whilst the production is more stripped down, the instrumentation helps to further a sunny element that makes you feel the summer energy any day of the year.
9. Problemz- Jungle
Another amazing song that encapsulates summer, âPROBLEMZâ by Jungle is probably my favourite song on this list. There were lots of different Jungle songs I wanted to pick for this as I feel their songs are great for walking, with the 70s style production being the perfect level of funkiness to soundtrack your walks around campus. I chose âPROBLEMZâ not just because I thought this song was the perfect example of this, but also because it’s the perfect example of a great walking beat and one of the best mood boosters, bringing summer warmth to otherwise rainy winter weather.
10. Suzanne- Mark Ronson and Raye
Whilst being the last pick on this list, âSuzanneâ by Mark Ronson and RAYE is certainly not the least. This song is great for sunny weather, and is made for this purpose with the joyful lyrics and upbeat, jazzy production and melody, which is exemplified in the chorus, with RAYEâs singing feeling like a burst of happiness. This song is therefore perfect for walking around campus, as it gives the positive energy needed to get through a long day at uni, providing a ray of sunshine during those hard days of working.