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I can hardly believe that my time as a Manhattan College student has come to an end. While the day has always been a nagging thought in my brain, it was easily shut off by the mountains of homework I had to do or the papers I had to write. Now? Well, now I do a lot of sitting and something that borderline counts for studying.
I also read for pleasure a lot more, too. I never thought that I would be able to do that again.
I, however, digress immensely. I am clearly dancing around the fact that I can barely come to terms with the fact that this is my last ever Her Campus playlist! Who knew that this day would ever come around!?
As my career at Manhattan College comes to a close, I am sad, but incredibly excited about what lies ahead in my postgraduate life. To commemorate the end and to encapsulate all of my feelings through the lyrics and sounds of people I have never met, I have curated my final playlist for your listening pleasure.
To Jaspers, prospective and present: This one is for you.
“Don’t Panic” by Coldplay, off of their album, Parachutes.
“Don’t Panic” by Coldplay is succinct and beautiful. It is impossibly warm (the acoustic guitar makes it very easy to convey that sort of auditory sensation) and infinitely calming. Chris Martin’s voice is gentle and infused with such passion that you cannot help but wish they would throw away their Mylo Xyloto dreams and return to this musical simplicity.
You can get lost in the echoing guitars and piano interludes — and this is something wonderful. In a song called “Don’t Panic,” it begs you to do exactly that. No matter your end-of-the-semester situation, this song will hypnotize you into a state of calm and relaxation in a short two minutes.
Isn’t music magical? (The answer is yes, yes it is.)
“Strange Lights” by Deerhunter, off of their record, Cryptograms.
“Strange Lights” is a perfect blend of shoegaze and psychedelia — also is a song that I have been listening to since I was 13-years-old. It is a timeless composition that is hypnotizing, inspiring and breathtaking.
I lack the words to properly give this song justice, so I will just let it speak for itself. Give it a listen and you will immediately hear what I mean.
“Come On Home” by Franz Ferdinand, off of their eponymous debut.
A steady opening guitar, a voice like no other and a synthesizer melody that can’t be beat. There’s a reason why Franz Ferdinand is my favorite band — and that’s because they can effortlessly piece together a song that is just as danceable as it is cryable.
Let Franz Ferdinand take you away from your pressing matters – albeit momentarily – and into a state of auditory bliss.
“Marcel” by Her’s.
Her’s is a band that came out of nowhere. They are equal parts summer and darkness — yet the stark contrast works really well musically. You can easily imagine yourself dancing in the sand on a hot day to the carefree guitars, but also see yourself sulking in your dark bedroom listening to the lead singer’s voice.
As you trudge back and forth between your residence hall and the library, “Marcel” will be your companion. You’ll forget about the bitter cold and focus more on the steady rhythm and matching your steps to the beat. It’s certainly a lot more entertaining than calculus will ever be.
“Stream” by Last Dinosaurs, off of their record, Wellness.
Last Dinosaurs has been one of my favorite bands this past semester. They are a hidden gem on your Spotify. I recommend listening to “Stream” obviously, but I strongly suggest you take an hour or two this week to listen to their whole discography. It’s something you will not regret — I promise.
“Stream” is a prime example of what Last Dinosaurs is really good at: blending carefree vocals, sparkling guitars, a hollow drumbeat and a soaring sensation. As soon as the drums invite you in to listen, only a second or two later does the song completely lift off.
This song defines what it means to be easy listening — and I can guarantee you, during this Finals Week, you’re going to need something to do that doesn’t take immense mental processing.
“What You Were” by The Drums, off of their album, Portomento.
Even if you have never heard this song before, you’re going to want to sing along. “What You Were” is infectious, upbeat and groovy — despite the speaker reminiscing about the times when you were allegedly a better person.
Clearly this person has never spent ridiculous amounts of time in the library studying or job-hunting on LinkedIn. It’s a very stressful time, people. Don’t let others tell you differently or chastise you for your sh*t behavior. You have earned it.
Jonny Pierce validates all of your feelings with his staple vocal whine. Let him caress your gently as you sulk lower into your desk chair. No matter what you’re feeling, he’s going to be there for you. Go ahead: Whine on.
“Dance 4 Sorrow” by Francis Lung.
I have recently become very stressed out by how great Francis Lung is. He creates dance music the way it should be: carefree and easy. This song happens to be capture exactly how I feel about the end of the semester: I’m dancing for sorrow.
“Dance 4 Sorrow” combines long, smooth vocals with short, choppy guitar — which is always a magnificent pairing. It is repetitive, and even if you don’t like repetitiveness in your songs, but seems as fresh of a measure as it did the measure before. In short, it’s a fun song that knows exactly what you want to do — and that is dance your sorrow away.
Go. Be free.
“She Moves In Her Own Way” by The Kooks, off of their album, Inside In / Inside Out.
I couldn’t write my final playlist without including my favorite genre in excessive amounts!
Casual acoustic guitar, warm casual vocals and easygoing tempo? You can ask nothing more from a song during Finals Week. There’s just something infinitely comforting and happy about how well everything harmonizes in “She Moves In Her Own Way.”
I’ve always been a fan of the lyric “She moves in her own way / She came to my show just to hear about my day.” It’s something so simple, yet incredibly charming. Perhaps you’re now wishing for someone to pop into the bowels of the library to ask you how you’re doing, only to suddenly burst into tears upon the question.
It’s all right — we’ve all been there before.
“Parking Lots” by Plums, off of their record, Jen.
“Parking Lots” is similar to “Strange Lights” in that it is a strikingly simple song. The lead singer’s longing vocals makes for a dreamy listening experience as you sink deeper and deeper into the drowned sound of guitars.
You’ll find yourself completely confused by the end of the song, solely because the song is so short. You will find yourself wanting more from Plums — as I did when I first discovered the band. Thankfully, Spotify has a handy little repeat button. You’ll have that selected for the next couple of hours, I can promise you that.
“Rule My World” by Kings Of Convenience, off of their album, Declaration Of Dependence.
My friends, you are now the rulers of your own worlds. You no longer have to answer to professors or deadlines — not until at least the new semester. Let Kings Of Convenience ease you into this brand new world with summery acoustic guitars and mellow vocal tones.
I mean, it’s bound to snow at some point this week. You can pretend that it’s not happening for three minutes while listening to “Rule My World.”
Much like “Dance 4 Sorrow,” “Rule My World” is a song that is repetitive, but with good reason and purpose. It doesn’t beg for your attention, but rather understands that you’re a busy individual who has a life to lead — and it will be with you every step of the way, soundtracking that new independence.
Best of luck in the New Year, my fellow Jaspers. It’s been a real two years. Peace.
You can listen to this week’s playlist here.