AirPods, headphones, and classic earphones are like the vital organs for college students. You won’t really see a lot of us without them. Even if we are not listening to something at the moment, we will have it in our pockets, around our neck, or in our bag. But we’ll have something that is of the essence to save us from the trenches of college life, and instead connect us to another world. The evidence for this is the college lost and found chat. There will always be a message every day from someone finding their lost savior. For a lot of us, not only is the outside world loud, but our inner voices too. To hush them, music is necessary. Or at least another voice, as long as it carries something apart from our own lives.
I know some students who use the AirPods to listen to something else instead– a TV show, stand-up comedies in the background, or just nothing. Using them as a placeholder works wonders, too, because it can become important to want to be left alone. There are times when we do not want to interact with anyone, just walk or do our thing. For those moments, headphones protect us from the compulsions of social life. It’s important to know these acts are okay, though; they are normal, as most of us do them. It is okay to give ourselves time from the heat.
To me, music is like a linchpin. I hold on to it every day for survival. I mostly have something on while going to class, when I’m on a break, studying, or just passing the time. My reason is that college, especially living in a hostel, tends to get way too messy. One way to escape it is music, be it rock, pop, or even our classic ghazals.
I feel these objects act as physical companions connecting us to our true companion, providing us with all the forms of emotions we go through during these 3-5 years. The emotional needle wavers from motivated to sad to even wanting to scream into our pillows. I have seen almost everyone in the library with their AirPods in their ears. It’s indeed amazing how these things and the art form itself are so true in making one productive, relaxed, and boosting one’s creativity. I mean, even while writing this now, I have my headphones on. So next time you see someone looking for their lost AirPods, headphones, earphones, or whatever musical device, help them out. They likely depend on them for their sustenance, which goes beyond merely finding something valuable; there is a deeper connection.