There’s something about November that makes me want to walk slower. Maybe it’s the way the air smells like leaves and coffee, or how the light hits campus at 4 p.m. Either way, I’ve been building a playlist for this exact feeling. That calm feeling before finals start, when things feel a little quieter and a little more meaningful. It’s the time when you’re caught between wanting to rest and wanting to take everything in before the semester ends, and music somehow makes that balance easier. These are the songs I’ve been walking to lately, the ones that make campus feel softer even when life gets hectic.
“Lake Missoula” – Ritchy & The Coal Miners Ft. Mt. Joy
This song feels like sunshine in late fall, warm but fading. It’s calm and steady, and it always makes me want to take the long route to class. It has this easy rhythm that makes even the most ordinary moments feel kind of special, like walking past the same buildings you’ve seen all semester but noticing how the light looks different now. There’s something about the sound that makes everything around you look prettier and visually pleasing, even if it’s just the cracked sidewalk or the stream coming from a vent.
“Slow Dance” – Clairo
I always play this song when I’m walking around campus alone. It’s gentle, kind of nostalgic, and makes everything feel like a movie moment. Sometimes I’ll listen to it between classes, AirPods in, watching everyone hurry by while I just slow down and take a moment to just exist. There’s this dearness to it that reminds me to stop rushing, take a pause, and just look around and notice how the world feels right now. It’s a small reminder that even ordinary days can feel soft and cinematic if you let them.
“Mud-stained dress” – Elias Hix
I love this song for early mornings when the air is cold and quiet. It feels simple, but emotions, like it’s meant to listen to when you’re just existing and going through the motions. Putting my headphones in, backpack on, watching your breath in the air. There’s something peaceful about it that makes the walk to class feel less like a routine and more like a ritual. It’s one of those songs that makes you slow down and feel present in the moment. It turns those little moments, like waiting for the crosswalk light or holding your coffee with frozen hands, into something that feels almost meaningful in a sense.
“Sober II (Melodrama)” – Lorde
Lorde always finds a way to put growing up into words. “Sober II” feels dramatic in the best way, like the soundtrack to watching to sky turn cloudy later in the day. It’s the kind of song I listen to when I feel both tired and okay, that weird mix that always happens at the end of the semester. It’s cinematic but real, like the kind of reflection that only happens when you’ve lived a little and have the playlist to prove it. It makes me think about how much has changed since the first week of classes and how much I’ve changed with it.
“Hollow” – Noah Kahan
If any artist has “November energy,” it’s Noah Kahan. “Hollow” feels honest and a little heavy, but has that comforting feeling as well. I like to play it on walks when I need to just take a pause and clear my head. It’s a kind of song that makes you take a deep breath and actually feel the air hit your lungs. There’s something about his voice that makes the cold air feel calmer, like everything is still figuring itself out, and that’s okay. It’s a song that doesn’t try to fix anything, rather just sits with you while you figure it out yourself.
“The Blackest Day” – Lana del Rey
This one sounds like walking home when it’s already dark outside. It’s sad, but in a way that feels beautiful. The way Lana sings about heartbreak and stillness makes it perfect for that in-between season where you’re not sure how you feel, just that you’re feeling a lot. Lana’s songs always make me feel like I’m in a movie scene when you’re tired, your hands are cold, and you’re just trying to make peace with the day you’re going through. It’s the kind of song that turns loneliness into something soft, like the glow of a streetlight you didn’t notice before.
“Irony Would Have It” – Matt Maltese
This song makes me feel like I’m in my own head, but in a comforting way. It’s a little funny, a little sad, and really gentle. I always listen to it at night, when campus is quiet and everything feels like it’s winding down. It has this cozy, late-night honesty that makes you want to write something down or text a friend just to catch up. It’s not dramatic, it’s just real, like the small kind of comfort you get from hearing a song that understands exactly where you’re at.
“Tie My Shoes” – Beabadoobee
This is the perfect last song for a walk home after a long day. It’s sweet and soft, and it feels like closure, like exhaling after a long week. It makes me feel okay about slowing down, about letting go of the rush, and realizing that the semester doesn’t last forever. There’s something really peaceful about ending a play and a day with a song that feels like a sigh of relief. It makes me feel okay about slowing down and taking a second for myself.
I think that’s what I love about this time of year, how it reminds you to slow down. The leaves fall, the air gets colder, and suddenly your walks between classes start to mean more. It’s easy to get caught up in grades and deadlines, but when you’re walking with the right song playing, even that stress feels softer. These songs aren’t just background noise, they’re the soundtrack to what I’m feeling right now: tired, grateful, and kind of in love with where I’m at. Maybe November is just a reminder that it’s okay to be both, to feel worn out but still hopeful, to miss summer but love where you’ve landed.