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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Riverside chapter.

College students walk an average of 2-4 miles a day, so as a college student, there is so much walking and time spent outdoors that goes into getting to campus and being involved. It’s something that’s expected, and with doing so you take preparation in ways such as staying hydrated and buying walking shoes. But you also need to set some time aside for curating the perfect playlist because it has a very real impact on your mood.  

Through trial and error, I learned that a good beat has the ability to get me through the day. Because of a good walking playlist, you might get to the point where you’ll actually look forward to your daily walks to class. Here are some of the songs that are my personal favorites, they have gotten my spirits up when I had to walk through the summer heat and the winter gloom in no particular order:

Binz-Solange

1901-Pheonix

Pyramids-Frank Ocean

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi-Radiohead

i – Kendrick Lamar

Valerie- Amy Winehouse

Kids- MGMT

Sundress-A$AP Rocky

Linger-The Cranberries

Sidewalks-The Weeknd ft Kendrick Lamar

Just A Stranger-Kali Uchis ft Steve Lacy

American Boy- Kanye West ft Estelle

When the Sun Goes Down-Arctic Monkeys

Ric Flair Drip-Offset, Metro Boomin

Consideration- Rihanna, SZA

Instant Crush-Daft Punk ft. Julian Casablancas

Buttons- Steve Lacy

An honorable mention of mine would be You Should Be Dancing by the Bee Gees, Disco music in general is a great way to get your spirits up on a day when you’re just not feeling at your best. These are my song recommendations, but in the end, the secret to making your own perfect walking playlist is choosing the songs that have made an impact on your own life. Choose songs that you know all the lyrics to, songs that give you good nostalgia, and overall songs that make you feel happy no matter what mood you woke up in. Remember to stay safe and happy walking!

Hailey Moreno

UC Riverside '25

I'm currently a third-year Sociology major at UC Riverside. I love all things pop culture, writing, and music!