No matter what we accomplish within the 4 years we spend at college, nothing will ever trump the time we spent as a freshman. Think about it: for the first time in your short, sheltered life, there were no parents, no portion controls, virtually no rules, no restrictions, and most prevalently, no alone time. In reality, literally every moment that you weren’t unconscious was spent with a roommate, classmate, sister, peer, teacher, or even a freaking lunch lady. On the off chance that you were alone for some small portion of daylight, chances are you whipped out your phone and dialed up some company with the same urgency you would dial 911.

This reliance and fascination with the company of others is part of the naturally occurring phenomenon that is the freshman experience. However, as time marches on and your surroundings become more and more familiar, you most likely begin to cherish the little time you do have to be alone. Within the scope of the 4 years you have in this lawless community that we call a university, the time you have to be alone and reflect on yourself is about equivalent to the cumulative time you’ve spent waiting in line at Canyon for that $1 slice of sweet, greasy heaven on a paper plate that is really just a conduit for ranch dressing.

Because this solace is so far and few between, you should be doing everything you humanly can to amplify this, as to ensure you don’t just snap one day and take your shirt off in a mall food court. I suggest throwing on a pair of old sweatpants you either earned in high school by being a mediocre lacrosse player, or copped from a fraternity, lighting a few candles (RA who?) and jamming to Purity Ring.

Having just recently formed in 2010, chances are you’ve never heard of this band. Be calm child, you’re about to find out. Purity Ring is comprised of the divine pairing that is Corin Roddick and Megan James. The duo got their start in Edmonton, Alberta, but have proved themselves worthy of an American audience despite their unfortunate Canadian roots. Classic example of “started from the bottom.” Unlike most bands on the alternative scene today, the duo relies solely on electronic synthesizers to produce both their melodies and assist with vocals. During their live sets, they utilize a sort of tree-like rig that James literally built himself that encompasses everything from lighting to beats. With Megan on vocals, James uses a sort of auto-tune method to warp her voice into some kind of crazy hypnotic chant that puts T. Pain to shame. Smh at his lack of creativity.

The sound that Purity Ring produces is something that likens to swimming in a baby pool of LSD or DMT or some other sort of three consonant variation of hallucinogen. Their heavy reliance on electronic back beats and haunting melodic vocal contributions is almost a form of therapy in itself, forcing the listener to surrender himself completely to the other worldly influences invading his ear canals. As previously explained, this experience is best enjoyed alone, without the invading contributions of the peasants who have yet to discover this divine intervention.

The next time you find yourself fortunate enough to have a few minutes alone, give “Lofticries” “Obedear” or “Fireshine” a listen. For maximum appreciation, repeat after me: sweatpants, candles, Purity Ring. Now go forth and transcend.