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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Conn Coll chapter.

We may be back on campus, but we’re still reliving the happy, carefree vibes of those summer days not long forgotten. Here are some of our personal songs of the summer:

As I cruised around the great state of Maine this summer, I had one song constantly on repeat: “Overnight” by the band Parcels. Although released in 2017, discovering this song in June, with its Disco-like spirit and catchy beat, really amped up the vibes in my car for the rest of the summer. Some honorable mentions include “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer (a classic Disco hit) and “Shut Up and Drive” by Rihanna.

  • Lara Beckius ‘24

With the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) coming out in the beginning of July, I definitely had the album playing the majority of the time I was driving around this summer. It’s hard to pick just one track that’s my favorite, but “I Can See You” was the perfect song to scream-sing along to with my sister and friends driving around our hometown. Although “Better Than Revenge” and “Ours” were very close seconds.

  • Abby Coviello ‘26

Bob Dylan will always be a classic. I felt that a lot of pop music wasn’t hitting the spot for me this summer, but Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” was on a constant loop in my car. I heard it a couple summers ago when someone else recommended it, but ever since then, I have played it whenever the weather goes above 70 degrees. I loved how the catchy combination of guitar and harmonica really set the tone for my folksy and bluesy summer in rural North Carolina. With my windows down and my car emitting questionable rattling sounds, it was so easy to drive down the backroads with the volume up, pretending to understand the lyrical vernacular of emerging youth culture in the 1960s. 

  • Catherine Gwinnett ‘24

Living my camp counselor summer, as per usual, I found myself drawn to screamable songs that never failed to give me that jolt of energy that even my 3 cups of coffee couldn’t deliver. “Hits Different” (T-Swift), “Satanist” (boygenius), and “Soak up the Sun” (Soccer Mommy) were three hard hitters. Additionally, the entirety of Melodrama (Lorde’s 2017 record) was constantly on the queue. 

  • Allison Bull ‘26

Music sounds best to me when it’s blasting through car speakers as I’m driving with the windows down, or playing as I lounge outside with a good book. This summer, I listened to mostly chill country and soul music, falling in love with the easy, peaceful, and happy melodies and lyrics. “Late to the Party” by Kacey Musgraves and “Day Dreaming” by Aretha Franklin are two songs that were constantly on repeat this entire summer. Both are light and easy love songs with melodies and harmonies that make me feel like I’m floating as I listen to them. Any time I hear them I’m taken back to beautiful drives through winding back roads or lazy summer afternoons, lying outside with my friends and a book. 

  • Lucy Meyer ‘25

My song of the summer was a classic, amazing pop song called “Silk Chiffon.” I would drive to the beach on scenic backroads, so I could have all the windows down and blast this song at full volume. It has such a joyful, powerful undertone and was an instant serotonin booster. This song coincides with some of my favorite memories of the summer like dancing on the beach and spinning around to this song with my friends, going out at night in Barcelona, or even just trying to get excited to go to a swim meet at 7 am. I am very happy to say that “Silk Chiffon” embodied my summer experience and added so much joy to it. 

  • Alexa LoSchiavo ‘27

The song that I will forever associate with summer 2023 is undoubtedly “I Can See You” by Taylor Swift. I probably listened to that song 20 times within the first day of its release; I found it completely addictive and could never seem to overplay it. Although Taylor Swift remains my #1 artist, my summer soundtrack also heavily featured Noah Kahan, especially “Your Needs, My Needs” and “Maine” (a beautiful song that I listened to at least five times a day when I went on my trip to Maine).

  • Kate Bridges 

I found myself listening to a lot of new music this summer. I had a pretty hefty commute to work on the subway and I spent almost every moment with my headphones on. One song in particular that I found myself listening to a lot was “Mimi’s Delivery Service” by a band called Good Kid. I was honestly originally drawn to it from the cover art of the song, and I found out later that the song is based off the Studio Ghibli movie Kiki’s Delivery Service. It’s an upbeat and catchy song that honestly helped me wake up a bit on my commute. As a non-caffeine drinker, it was something I definitely needed.

  • Maggie Hayes ‘24

This summer, I had the Barbie soundtrack on repeat constantly: in the car, on vacation in Cape Cod, and after seeing the movie in July. I couldn’t get it out of my head for weeks. However, my two favorites are probably “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa, and Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice’s “Barbie World.” I also discovered an old French song from the 80’s after hearing it for the first time when I was in Barcelona early last year that has recently resurfaced and been featured in many movies and TV shows over the years, “Ça plane pour moi” by Plastic Bertrand, which you might recognize if you’ve watched Cleo, The Wolf of Wall Street, or even Gossip Girl. It’s very cheerful and uplifting, and has a classic ’80s Indie vibe to it, making it perfect for summer. 

  • Madeline Motes ‘27

The one song that was on repeat my entire summer was “Paper Bag” by Fiona Apple. What had me drawn to the song was Apple’s raw and profound vocals that defined the entire song. Her delivery was both powerful and vulnerable, drawing me into the emotional depth of the music. The musical arrangment’s elements combine pop and jazz, creating a unique tune that sets it apart from other pop songs. Overall, this is a piece of music that stands out for its artistic excellence, making it the perfect song for my summer.

  • Emma Whitford ‘26

Lizzy McAlpine’s “Orange Show Speedway” was my unexpected song of the summer! My girlfriend and I always ended up listening to it in the car on our way to places, so it just ended up defining the time we spent together and all the fun adventures we had! Also, Taylor Swift’s folklore remains my number one album ever, and especially in the summer, so also just the entirety of that, because it is amazing and the lyricism never fails to amaze me. Maybe there will be a year where Taylor Swift is no longer my number 1 artist on Spotify, but for now, I’ll stay in the top .5 percent of her listeners!

  • Caroline Snyder ‘26

Check out our playlist below!

Lara Beckius

Conn Coll '24

Lara graduated from Connecticut College in 2024 with a double major in environmental studies and economics and a minor in dance. Her interests include choreography, sustainability, the performing arts, and conservation.
Abby Coviello

Conn Coll '26

Abby is a sophomore at Connecticut College studying Psychology and English. She is originally from New Jersey, just outside NYC. Outside of class Abby loves reading, listening to music, baking, going on nature walks, and singing in Conn's choir.
Catherine Gwinnett

Conn Coll '24

Hello! My name is Catherine (she/her) and I am a Classical Languages and Art History major at Connecticut College. I am also completing a Museum Studies Certificate Program here. I work as a curatorial and archival intern at the New London County Historical Society, and I love visiting museums and spending time around good (and bad) art.
Allison Bull

Conn Coll '26

Allison is a current sophomore at Connecticut College pursuing a degree in Educational Studies and Anthropology. She is from a small town in Southern New Hampshire where she loves running, hiking, harassing her cat to take selfies (see profile pic), getting lost in the woods, and generally romping around outside. Outside of class, Allison loves reading, making friendship bracelets, listening to music, lying in the sun, and cooking!
Lucy Meyer

Conn Coll '25

I'm Lucy Meyer a junior at Conn College! I'm an English major with a love for reading, writing, movies, tv, and sports.
Alexa LoSchiavo

Conn Coll '27

My name is Alexa LoSchiavo and I am a freshman at Connecticut College. I went to Stanton High School College Preparatory in Jacksonville, Florida. I have always loved reading since I was a kid and I enjoy writing. I love to do anything creative and anything in nature as well. I love going to the beach and hiking. I am very excited to write for Her campus this year.
Kate Bridges

Conn Coll '27

Hi, I'm Kate and I will ramble about obscure animal facts and Taylor Swift indefinitely
Maggie Hayes

Conn Coll '24

Maggie is a student at Connecticut College. She loves to read, write, and spend time outside (especially with her dogs).
Emma Whitford

Conn Coll '26

Emma Whitford is a junior at Connecticut College from Stonington, Connecticut. She is an English major. She enjoys writing about books, movies, and lifestyle. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time in the outdoors.
Caroline Snyder is a rising junior at Connecticut College who is double majoring in English and Environmental Studies! She is the president of Conn's Her Campus chapter, co-captain of the college's Equestrian Team, aids in education work in the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, and works in the college's archives, among other things. She loves writing, reading, her cat, dinosaurs, working out, and sustainability.
Madeline Motes

Conn Coll '27

Hi! My name is Madeline and I'm a first-year student at Conn! I'm from DC and I went to Jackson-Reed High School. I love swimming, creative writing and traveling. I also spent three years of high school living overseas in Amman, Jordan where I got to travel to lots of exciting countries, such as an international swim meet in Greece and a community service trip to Cape Town, South Africa. I also enjoy cooking and baking. I am very excited to be a part of HerCampus!