Musical Memories: How Music Has Helped Me Get Through Quarantine

A year ago, almost to this day, was my last day of high school. I was sitting in the soccer field watching the sun set with my class, thinking of all of the adventures we were bound to go on in the upcoming months.

If you tried to tell me back then that I’d be spending the end of my freshman year of college at home with my parents, working on homework, and listening to Hannah Montana classics, I would have told you that was crazy!

But here I am, around day 60 of being in quarantine, jamming out to the oldie-but-goodie “If We Were a Movie.” 

I am at high-risk during this pandemic, so my family and I have been taking extreme precautions for the past two months. 

It would be really easy for me to be bummed during this time. I can’t go anywhere, even to the grocery store, and the weather isn’t making it any easier. May has taken some extremes the past few days, leaving my small world overcast and dreary. 

But instead, I have turned to the simpler times. My entire life revolves around music; I wake up to music, I shower with music playing, I do homework and study with music, and I’m often humming some pop bop. Even my parents have an equal love for music – Dad works from home, listening to his tunes in his speaker, and Mom takes care of the house with her records playing in the background. 

Recently, I have discovered a very old playlist circa the year 2014, titled “Throwback.” Needless to say, I was excited – if they were throwbacks six years ago, they’re definitely throwbacks now! Within it, I re-discovered early 2000s Disney Channel classics amidst 90s hits with artists like No Doubt and Alicia Keys. I’ve been listening to this non-stop for a few days, and I’m honestly not sure if I’ll get sick of it anytime soon. 

Music is often attached to memories, and these vintage jams have brought me back to my childhood. A time when all I did was watch my favorite shows and play with toys, and my only worries were memorizing that week’s spelling words. 

Now, as I prep to write a 3,600+ word essay due in a few weeks, I am eased as I have these memories rushing over me. 

If you are struggling with finals or quarantine in general, bust out some music that you haven’t heard in a while! Jam out to that “Annie” soundtrack, that heavy-metal banger, or that gangsta rap! I’ll be over here, reliving my childhood with Hannah Montana, High School Musical, early Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, and so much more! 

• music
• music therapy
• oldies