This week has been exceptionally stressful for Kalamazoo College students. It was the fifth week of our ten week quarter, meaning most of us had midterms to deal with. The sun hardly came out the whole week. Juniors are in the throes of SIP prep, and many sophomores are in the throes of preparing to go abroad. And on Friday afternoon it was announced that the 2015 W-2s of all College employees, including students, staff, and faculty, had been sent to a phishing scam. The energy is down around here, even more so than usual.
When I'm stressed out, I turn to music. Music can't solve my problems, but it does help me remember to slow down, to breathe and that I'm not alone in going through whatever I'm going through. The sentence you just read is an absolute cliché and it is also my truth. Here are five tracks that help me center myself when I'm feeling overwhelmed.
The Plastic Bag Theme from American Beauty by Thomas Newman
My housemates and I are known for our affinity for this film, which won a slew of Oscars in 1999. This song is so gentle and soothing. It would be poetic of me to say that it reminds me to look for beauty in the mundane or something like that, but it doesn't. I just like the way it sounds.
24-25 by Kings of Convenience
When I'm in panic mode, Kings of Convenience is my go-to. I always put their discography on shuffle, starting with this, the first track of their most recent album, 2009's Declaration of Dependence. The thought of blooming like the fields of May at 24 brings me a lot of comfort considering I'm still a bit younger than that.
The Wolves (Act I and II) by Bon Iver
This is about as cliché as they come, but this song has been my crutch as I navigated many a breakup. Justin Vernon's falsetto is a gift to Earth from heaven. Someday my pain will mark you.
Paranoid ft. Mr. Hudson by Kanye West
And now for something completely different. I appreciate that this song is more upbeat and driving than the others, because sometimes when I'm frantic I want to listen to something with energy. It's a real reassurance to hear someone say that I shouldn't worry about it. Oftentimes, I am worried about the wrong things.
Clair de Lune ft. Christine Hoburg by Flight Facilities (Motez Remix)
I'm terrified of planes and this is my plane song. I will listen to this on repeat the entire plane ride, breathing deeply and tightly gripping the armrests at the slightest turbulence. I haven't been in a plane crash yet, which probably means this song is good luck.
There you have it. I hope this tiny playlist brings you some comfort in the coming weeks, K College.
