Let’s face it, as college students, we are all busy and constantly looking for ways to relieve stress. Something I’ve realized recently is that whenever I listen to a good music playlist, I don’t think about much other than what I am doing in the moment. It’s almost as if my mood changes to whatever music genre I am listening to, and as a result, my stress disappears.
This past summer, my friends and I were playing spike-ball outside. “We need music,” I thought to myself, and quickly ran inside to grab my speaker. I put on my go-to playlist that I normally listen to while I am at the gym, called “DUDES,” which is full of songs that I added based on if I feel it could motivate me to run on the treadmill. Normally, I don’t listen to the words of the song, but rather the sound of the beat. I add it to my playlist if it’s a mood booster!
Immediately, my friends were obsessed. One of them ordered me to send her the playlist. Another started to add some of the songs to her own playlist. Even the boys liked it, which made me feel good considering my music taste doesn’t always align with theirs. So after hearing how much they enjoyed it, I decided to create more. It’s not as hard as you think.
- Step 1. Create Based on the Mood You are in
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If you are getting ready for something exciting, such as a “girls’ night out,” look for songs to add that are confidence boosting. They will make you want to dance around your room, and keep looking into the mirror, as you should be!
- Step 2. Don’t be Afraid to Make a “Sad” Playlist
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We’ve all been there; searching for songs that will help you have a good “cry.” This is not only important for your mental health, but to help detox from those tears. Sometimes, the “upbeat” songs are just not the right move and in the case of a bad breakup, don’t be afraid to crank up that Adele.
- Step 3. Be Sure to Check the “Trending Now” Section
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Are you sick and tired of listening to the same artists repeatedly? Don’t be afraid to browse the “trending now” section on whatever music platform you use! Often, we are bound to find an artist who we ‘ve never heard of, but end-ed up liking a lot. And as a bonus, you can tell all your friends to go listen to something that you have discovered first, especially after you click through more of their less popular content!
- Step 4. Don’t forget your “Driving” Playlist!
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If someone tells you that they don’t drive down the highway with all the windows down at night and belt out their favorite songs at the top of their lungs, they are lying. We all do it, so, we might as well have a playlist ready for when it is our time to (openly) be judged by that old couple driving next to us in the right lane!
- Step 5. Share with Your Friends (Or Don’t)
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Are you proud of your playlists? Then share them with your friends! But, if you want to keep it to yourself for your own glory, then that’s okay to. We don’t always want everyone to know everything we do; privacy is just as important as anything else.
With, when you are looking for a self-care Sunday activity (on any day of the week), slap on a facemask, light a candle, and (really) listen to your foot tapping to the beat! If you have the urge to get up and dance, then you know you are doing something right.