If you’ve ever listened to Fun, the Format or Bleachers you’re sure to have been captivated by Iowa City native Nate Ruess’ stellar voice, and the thought-provoking lyrics that he expresses. Nate Ruess has been described as the Freddie Mercury of our generation and his titanic vocal range and fire for social justice and equality make him a tremendous force to be reckoned with in the music scene. With his visit to the Gallagher-Bluedorn just a few days away I thought it would be fun to share some lyrics from Nate Ruess’ solo album, the "Grand Romantic," that every college student needs to hear.

1. "If all that you read is everything you believe then let go"

- "AhHa"

This one is especially important to us as college students. It’s all about keeping an open mind and stepping outside of what you know or what you’re comfortable with. Ruess is challenging us all to let ourselves be confronted by thinking that is different from our own and what better place to do that than in college?

2. "It's a great big storm and we're holding our own"

– "Great Big Storm"

The Great Big Storm might be midterms or a rocky relationship or just all of the stress that falls onto our plates, but no matter what “it” is, we’re all holding our own.

3. "You know I gotta find my own way, Through mistakes that I can't change"

– "Great Big Storm"

In life, and especially in college, we’re all bound to make mistakes. This song is all about facing the reality that we’re going to mess up, and that is okay. It’s OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them and don’t dwell on them. We can, as students, accept our own mistakes and grow through them as well as supporting our friends as they do the same.

4. "Every single black eye, Has some blue like the moon just before the sun shines"

- "Great Big Storm"

In this twist on the cliché, Ruess reminds us all that it’s always darkest before the dawn and that it’s possible to find beauty even in the ugliest moments.

5. "Well, I'm fine. I just need a moment to cry"

- "Moment"

Moment is a song about the end of a serious, long-term relationship, but its message is one that applies almost universally to us as students: we’re all going to face some hard things in life and it’s completely natural to need a moment to process and come to terms with the situation. I, for one, am quite a fan of having a good cry when I need to from time to time and that’s what Moment encourages us to do.

6. "There's such a fine line between the things you want, and the things that you need"

- "Harsh Light"

Not to sound like a crotchety old man, but I think our generation has the ability to lose sight of the line between want and need. While it is definitely very important to treat yourself and to be happy, the "broke college kid" trope exists for a reason. Ruess takes a moment to remind us all to know where the line between what we want and what we need exists, and encourages us to tread that line wisely.

7. "I am nothing without love"

- "Nothing Without Love"

In reality, none of us are. This song is all about owning up to our mistakes and realizing that no matter who we are, or where we are, we are nothing without Love. This serves as a reminder to us all to let Love in and let it guide our interactions. In doing so we might just make the world, or at least our campus, a much brighter place.

8. "We all got scars"

- "Harsh Light"

Whether they are physical or emotional, visible or invisible, we’ve all been through challenges that have left us with scars. It’s not a competition to prove that you’ve suffered the most, but rather a challenge to treat everyone well and to Love each other because we all have our own stories and our own struggles.

Ultimately I’d give Nate Ruess's "Grand Romantic" an 8.5/10 and strongly encourage you all to listen to it when you’ve got the time. I’m very excited for Nate to make his way back to the heartland and grace us with his performance on Oct. 7. UNI students can use their free tickets for this performance and I hope that the messages behind Ruess’ lyrics reach our community’s ears; they have a lot of merit and many worthwhile things to say.