Rainy season has arrived at Penn State, as it tends to do this time of year.
Rainy days can either be motivating or draining for some people, but I think it’s time we romanticize this type of weather– especially when exams are around the corner.
Why “The Twilight Saga?” Well, not only is the cloudy, gloomy weather the epitome of Forks but also this is the time of year when I rewatch that movie series as well as other fall staples such as “Harry Potter” and “Gilmore Girls.”
There is nothing like a perfectly curated “The Twilight Saga” themed playlist that’ll get you in the zone and maybe in your feels. Personally, I work better with slow, relaxing music especially when it matches the weather outside.
Without further ado, may I present my top 10 song recommendations to listen to when studying on a rainy day.
- “Roslyn” By Bon Iver and St Vincent
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I can’t start off a “Twilight” themed playlist without something from the soundtrack itself. “Roslyn” is from “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” a movie that includes many more possible playlist candidates.
Building off of “Roslyn” I have to mention “Possibility” by Lykke Li, the song best known for Bella’s depression montage after Edward leaves her in the woods.
- “Cardigan” by Taylor Swift
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Since edits of this song are trending on TikTok, it only felt right to include this on the list. Similar to “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” soundtrack all being applicable I would have to say most songs on Swift’s “folklore” gives off fall and rainy vibes.
If you’re looking for the TikTok version specifically it is available on YouTube and Spotify.
- “I wouldn’t Ask you” By Clairo
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In all honesty, I hadn’t heard of Clairo until her album “Immunity” came out in 2019 and from then I was hooked onto everything Clairo.
According to Genius Lyrics, “I Wouldn’t Ask You” is about when Clairo was hospitalized with juvenile arthritis and her boyfriend was taking care of her.
The cool and simple piano and the soft voices of the background singers are relaxing and intimate even when the beat quickens toward the end.
- “Yin to Yang” By Runo Plum
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This is a song a rediscovered just this year while studying. For those of you who have not heard of Runo Plum, she is a very talented indie artist.
“Yin to yang” was released in 2021 and is comprised by a simple drum beat and a subtle guitar that do not take away from her melodic voice.
- “Matilda” by Harry Styles
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What is any playlist without Harry Styles?
While Styles continues his tour and celebrates the release of his new movie “Don’t Worry Darling,” I have to pay tribute to the song “Matilda” from his latest album “Harry’s House” by adding it to my song recommendations.
It is an emotional song based on Roald Dahl’s character Matilda who was raised in an abusive household, which will really put you in your feels.
- “halley’s Comet” By Billie Eilish
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When I watched Eilish live at the Bryce Jordan Center and she sang this song alone with “Male Fantasy” I actually sobbed in the stands.
It is an emotional and powerful song in which Eilish comments on her past traumas.
- “brooklyn Baby” By lana del Ray
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I had to give Lana Del Rey the spotlight that she deserves by including her almost six minute song in this playlist.
My absolute favorite part of this song is probably the guitar that accompanies Del Ray’s soft spoken voice. She never fails to encapsulate the fall and winter seasons in her music.
- “je te laisserai des mots” by PAtrick Watson
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This is a French song that I have been listening to since my freshman year of high school.
Though it is in French and a majority of the song is instrumental, it is in truth a love song and it’s so beautiful I wish it was longer than two minutes.
- “Scott Street” By Phoebe Bridgers
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If I am anything, I am a Phoebe Bridgers fan. From “Funeral” to “Moon Song” to “Motion Sickness” her songs are the best comfort to many of her fans.
I’m recommending “Scott Street” because I recently rewatched “Someone Great” where this song plays during a very sentimental scene of a girl recalling a memory of her ex-boyfriend make the line “anyway don’t be a stranger” even more powerful.
- “That’s on me” By Mac Miller
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We wrap up this list with a song that was released about a year and a half after Miller passed away on Sept. 7, 2018. Because of this we are unsure of the meaning of the song and what Miller intended the final piece to be.
Nonetheless, I and many others interpret it as Miller taking the blame for something he did (hence the title). It brings about a sad innuendo because we know that Miller had been struggling for years with his mental health, but it is still a beautifully constructed song.
I hope these song recommendations inspired you to make your own rainy day playlist or to start studying for your exams. Here is the link to my personal Spotify rainy day playlist if you’re interested.