As technology has progressed throughout the years, there are some platforms that have just seemingly vanished out of the public sphere. While some, like the vintage cassette or even the compact disc, eventually were replaced with updated and arguably easier versions, I refuse to let the "mixtape" become one of these tragedies.
As a member of Generation Z (anyone born after the year 1995), I totally understand the logic behind wanting to toss this old-school style to the curb. With the rise of streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Pandora, it has never been easier to pinpoint any song that has ever been created. Why waste money on a physical disc, when everything you could possibly want is available with a push of a button? This is 21st-century thinking at its finest, and even I am guilty of this.
Let's dive into this for a second. Kick off your shoes and relax, as I try to prove to you that we, as a society, should accept that the mixtape will never and should never be let to die.
Imagine this, I'm driving on the highway on the way home from college. My freshman year has finally wrapped up, and I'm extremely ready to go back home and get some much-needed relaxation. The windows are down, and the sun is transferring a sense of liberation to my soul as it shines down and fills every crack and crevice of my car. Turning the radio-dial ALL the way up, I insert a CD that my high-school friend gave to me as a gift; and instantly am thrown into a constant loop of nostalgia as each song that plays brings back long-lost memories of our time together.
To me, nothing could possibly beat this moment. I sing every word to songs that I haven't heard in ten years as times of my adolescence suddenly rush back to me. It is one of the most meaningful gifts that I have ever received, and one that I will actually try to keep from getting lost in the endless amounts of junk that plague my attic.
In short, our lives are meant to be enjoyed; and in the constantly changing environment that we live in today, it was nice to slow down and remember for a bit. Remember the simpler times and when everything was okay. To put it more articulately, Gladys Knight once said,
"Oh, why does it seem like the past is always better
We look back and think
The winters were warmer
The grass was greener
The skies were bluer
and the smiles were bright."
It doesn't have to be anything fancy. In fact, you could just write a list of songs on a paper towel and I'm sure that would mean something to somebody. Compile a list of songs that resemble a special moment in somebody's life, or just completely randomize; it's up to you. The point is, just make sure to take a couple moments in your life to reflect and enjoy the simple things.
