There are some songs that you can hear a hundred times and never think twice about. Then there are songs that become attached to a moment, a place, or a person. For me, these four songs will always take me back to my semester studying abroad in Oxford, England. They remind me of the people I was with, the places I went, and, most importantly, the person I was while I was there.
“Heartache Medication” By Jon Pardi
“Heartache Medication” will forever remind me of one of my favorite nights in Oxford: karaoke with my friends at a local pub, O’Neill’s. There was something so special and carefree about this Thursday night. Our group was all together, singing a country song in an English pub. At the time it was just another night out abroad with my best friends. Looking back, I can see how special it really was. We were all experiencing this completely new chapter of our lives together, and none of us realized how quickly time would fly. I don’t just remember singing this song, I remember feeling surrounded by people who had become such an important part of my life in such a short amount of time. Every time I hear it now, I am instantly back at O’Neill’s, laughing with my friends and wishing I could have one more night like that.
“Where The Skies Are Blue” By The Lumineers
“Where the Skies Are Blue” reminds me of the freedom I felt while studying abroad. I had the chance to travel to London, the Seven Sisters Cliffs, Ireland, Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam, and every trip felt like I was stepping into a completely different world. Countless moments of everyday I would find myself thinking I can’t believe I am actually here. Whether I was looking out at the cliffs, walking through the streets of Paris, or exploring somewhere completely unfamiliar with my friends, I felt incredibly lucky. Now, the song reminds me of that feeling of possibility. I miss waking up knowing that there was somewhere new to go and something new to see.
“American Girls” By Harry Styles
“American Girls” reminds me most of the friendships I solidified while abroad. Being in a new country made us depend on each other in ways we probably never expected. We figured out trains, planned trips, got lost, laughed until we cried, and experienced some of the most exciting moments of our lives together. Traveling through places like Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, and Ireland would have been amazing on its own, but experiencing them with my friends is what made those memories so meaningful. I think that is what I miss the most, not necessarily a specific place, but having those people around me every day. We were all having the same strange, exciting experience, and there was comfort in knowing we were creating memories together that none of us would ever be able to recreate in exactly the same way.
“Oh! Darling” By The Beatles
“Oh! Darling” might be the song that makes me most emotional because it reminds me that my time abroad really did come to an end. The hardest part about leaving Oxford was knowing that I could not simply go back to the way things were. I could return to the places, but I could never return as the exact same person who had first arrived. I miss the ordinary parts of my life there like the walks through Oxford, nights with friends, traveling on weekends, and the excitement of not knowing what the next day would bring.
I think nostalgia is wishing you could step back into a moment while knowing you cannot. These songs let me do that for a few minutes. They bring me back to Oxford, back to my friends, and back to a chapter of my life that I will always be grateful I got to live.