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

They can lighten up your day and even make it easier to convince yourself to attend that one class you desperately can’t seem to lock into. Whether you’re consulting the groupchat on the perfect way to approach them or have resigned yourself to a semester full of wistful longing this list of songs is sure to help keep your delusions alive.

Maybe you see them in fleeting glances in crowded hallways on your route home, maybe you watch them in your peripheral instead of paying attention to the lecture slides or maybe you’ve made the 2nd floor library your go to study spot just because you saw them there that one time. Whatever the case is we’ve all got them, all of us at one point or another have fallen victim to having a campus crush.

While the start of a new semester can mean a lot of things, more often than not we choose to distract ourselves with our silly campus crushes instead of facing the reality of our course loads. And I’m all for it! They can lighten up your day and even make it easier to convince yourself to attend that one class that you desperately can’t seem to lock into.

Whether you’re consulting the group chat on the perfect way to approach them or have resigned yourself to a semester full of wistful longing, this list of songs is sure to help keep your delusions alive.

“Juna” by Clairo

Clairo’s third studio album Charm is nothing short of lovely and enchanting and “Juna” is no exception. This song is the soft daydream tracklist of your imagined life with your campus crush as you walk across campus before the sun is fully up. With Clairo’s soft vocals,  the jazzy piano and chimes this song is perfect for anyone shyly glancing at their campus crush.

“Falling for You” by Eliza & the Delusionals

I mean the name of the group just says it all doesn’t it? One of my new favorite up and coming indie pop bands knows what it’s like to pine after someone. This song embraces all the embarrassment and refusal there is in acknowledging you might actually like someone. “Falling For You” is for anyone who is still trying to resist the temptation of indulging in love and infatuation.

“Steeeam” by Shelly

For those of you who don’t know Shelly was the short lived project by artists Claud and Clairo back in 2020. They have exactly 2 released songs and thankfully Steeeam is exactly what we need here. This song is the perfect mix of vibey and soft and oh so filled with the type of longing having a campus crush entails.

“:)” by The Japanese House

First off, don’t even ask me how to say the name of this song outloud but regardless of this :) has been on my playlist since its release earlier this year. If you know you’re a little crazy about this someone new then this song is for you. Fun and upbeat in melody this songs lyrics are all giddy and ready “cause somethings happening”.

“September – Recorded at the Tracking Room Nashville” by Taylor Swift

Listen, I am well aware of the Taylor Swifts dating backstory and the lore surrounding the recording of the song [Joe Alwyn I am in your walls]. But if we’re able to put aside this then you’ll be able to hear what I’m hearing. This stripped down version of September and its acoustic strums emphasizes the already romantic lyrics. You can hear the love and emotion Taylor sings with which makes this version all the more special.

Cynthia Jimenez is a part-time writer at the Her Campus at McMaster chapter. Their articles cover a range of topics including music, literature, campus life and dating. They are currently an incoming 4th year student at McMaster University, majoring in Greek and Roman Studies with a minor in Gender Studies. Beyond Her Campus, Cynthia works as a Content Manager for the Navy News, a peripheral team of the McMaster Humanities Society, where she works on a team dedicated to connecting students with the faculty of Humanities. They are also the Social Media Coordinator for their program club, the McMaster Classics Club where they work to share their love of all things Classics. Cynthia also currently works as one the Co-Planners for Humanities Welcome Week and is planning a magical WW for the incoming first years! In her free time, Cynthia enjoys crocheting and making her way through her never-ending to-be-read list. They are always willing to buy concert tickets and has recently started collecting CDS.