Spotify Playlists!
There truly is a song out there for every moment.
Music has been one of the biggest aids to me in my time here as a student at UTM, but also in life generally. Music has helped carry me through the highs and lows of life, mainly because the songs I listen to have always directly correlated with how I am feeling at any given moment. For example, in times where I was feeling really sad and down, I always had my sad music playlist to help me process my emotions and feel my feelings out (which is much better than burying them!). I also have playlists that represent my happier times, songs that help me feel good about myself.
Music helps me connect to my feelings and also my surroundings, allowing me to better relate to the environment around me.
I find that the right song or playlist helps me get in the mood for whatever task I set out to do, whether that is doing my readings for class, writing essays, commuting to school, working out at the RAWC or when the Wi-Fi in IB stops working and I need some good tunes to destress!
Studies actually show that music has a positive effect on our brains, from releasing more dopamine (our feel-good brain chemical) to lowering stress and helping combat symptoms of depression; the benefits to music are endless! Music is a great way to bond and form social connections with others, whether that’s sharing your favourite song with a friend, or bonding over your favourite artist with someone (I know I have with my fellow Swifties) there’s endless possibilities to explore!
Listening to music can also turn into great hobbies, from creating your own music (for those who are so creatively inclined, I envy you) or if you’re more like me and terribly inept when it comes to creating music, you can make playlists instead for different moods! One of my favourite pastimes is creating my own Spotify playlists (as evident by my Spotify account) and sharing them with my friends. It’s such a good way to spend my free time, and I get to share my passions with the people I care most about.
My Spotify Playlists
I love using online platforms like Spotify where I can share my love of music with everyone. Spotify has a really nifty feature where you can see your “Spotify Wrapped” at the end of the year, which is a highlight of all the music you listened to in the past 12 months. Spotify wrapped actually tracks the artists, songs, and genres you most listened to and complies them in cool graphics you can share on social media or with friends! Unsurprisingly, my top artists were BTS & Taylor Swift, as evident by the playlists I made!
I have created a couple of playlists that I want to share with you all to help you with various activities you may engage in as a student, such as working out and studying!
Workout Playlist
This playlist is filled with upbeat music destined to pump you up for your workout at the RAWC! Whether I’m getting my cardio in running on the treadmill, or strengthening my muscles lifting weights, this hype playlist is all I need to get me in the mood for my workout!
It’s Giving Dark Academia (A Study Playlist)
When I need to wind down and write an assignment, or get some readings done, this is my go-to playlist. I like listening to classical or instrumental music when I study because I find otherwise that the lyrics in songs distract me. I think U of T interestingly has a dark academia vibe, which is what I tried to achieve when creating this playlist. Having the right music to fit my mood while studying limits my distractions (i.e. my phone, social media, Netflix) and just sit down and grind out my readings or papers.
Commute Playlist
Whether you commute by driving, taking the bus, or any other form of public transportation, having some tunes along the way helps you pass the time along quicker. This playlist showcases a variety of artists with more upbeat music, along with some mellow tunes, so you can stare outside the window and aimlessly daydream about the nap you want to take after class.
If there’s anything to take away from this blog post, it’s that music is important to the human brain, regardless of what genre or artist you listen to. In fact, all our unique music tastes can bring us together and have interesting conversations about what songs have helped us through our worst and best days!