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It is a truth universally acknowledged that icebreakers during class are stilted, awkward and ineffective.
While I borrowed Jane Austen’s iconic phrasing to open this piece, I’m here to explore how we can romanticize everyday life — starting with a playlist.
During week five this semester, as I sat through another round of awkward icebreakers, I realized I dislike them because they often hinge on uninspired questions.
But they don’t have to be dull. Asking, “what song is stuck in your head right now?” can spark lively conversations — and that’s exactly what happened when I tried it.
I learned one girl doesn’t listen to anything that was released after 2008 and while I don’t think extremes are healthy, she has a hell of a track list and argument of why we should continue immortalizing previously mainstream artists . One guy listens to a lot of rap songs and had the best time watching Kendrick Lamar’s half-time performance, but he’s also nostalgic, and keeps all the songs he hears at parties with his friends. And another girl uses her pop playlist to help motivate her on little projects like reorganizing her closet.
My playlist is a letter to my senior year. Just 1.5 hours long, it captures moments like rainy bus rides, botched quizzes and parking in my driveway to see my parents greet me. It’s ordinary, sentimental and the most visceral 1.5 hours of my day.
It starts with mellow songs like “Rewind” by Goldspot to clear my mind. Then come songs about reminiscing like “Somewhere Only We Know,” by Keane and growth like “The Hardest Part,” by Olivia Dean.
By the time I’m on the bus, I’m singing along to “Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden,” by Valley and “Sympathy” by Goo Goo Dolls which always remind me of the first day of school and a fun movie night with one of my best friends.
You get the point. And I think you should try making your own soundtrack sometime too.
These playlists are a chance to reflect on life lately and what’s worth remembering, learning from or letting go. A couple verses can go a long way in providing comfort after a hard day or just motivating you through an arduous task. When I feel stressed but don’t know how to process, or share it with anyone, I find solace in songs that offer perspective and closure. In chasing the most articulate and emphatic songs, I discover new artists, love more voices, and grow alongside them.
Listening to these songs is also a great screen-free way to take a break during the day, and it’s also just fun to share with friends. Some of my friends and I have very different tastes, but we look forward to sharing and discussing different aspects of the songs.
And if that’s not convincing enough, meet Alaine Provan, a senior studying Finance at the Kelley School of Business, who also hosted WIUX’s radio show, “Current Obsessions” during the spring semester of 2024.
Provan said in an email her radio show, “Current Obsessions,” combined her eclectic music interests — Disney, Broadway, pop, 60s rock — with storytelling. Though the show isn’t on air anymore, she said she creates monthly playlists that transport her to specific moments in her past.
“You’d think that a song would remind me of feelings in a situation or people I no longer see,” she said in an email. “Honestly, it reminds me of the weather. When I listen to the song “Glitch” by Taylor Swift I’m reminded of the second quarter of sophomore year when it was cold after the leaves fell. When I hear “People Watching” by Conan Gray I think of fourth quarter freshman year when it was warm enough to walk around at night without a coat.”
Right now, Provan said “Never Met a Wolf Who Didn’t Love to Howl” from the TV show, SMASH is always stuck in her head. She loves the song’s jazzy feel and often listens to it while working out. She reckons it’ll always remind her of the beginning of her senior spring semester when it was so cold, and all her class timings changed.
But when she needs a pick-me-up, Provan said in an email that she listens to “Style” by Taylor Swift and “I’m on Fire” by John Mayer. “Style” offers her a little burst of motivation and Mayer’s Bruce Springsteen cover makes her feel all the emotions she was struggling with.
“It’s like using the right amount of salt in a dish — it elevates what is already there without it being too overpowering,” she said in an email. “Even though the lyrics and story of the song isn’t something I relate to or makes me feel something, the overall feel of the song feels like a sad dream and a warm hug at the same time.”
Provan’s recommendations highlight the power of finding songs that resonate with life’s moments. They don’t have to be award-winners — just songs that feel right for you.
I hope you'll create a playlist worth sharing during your next icebreaker.
Meghana Rachamadugu (she/her) is a senior studying marketing and business analytics as well as pursuing a minor in French.
