If someone asked me to summarise my semester in one word, I probably could not. But if they asked for a playlist instead, I’d have an answer almost instantly.
University life moves in phases. A mix of chaotic mornings, quiet library afternoons, spontaneous late-night walks, and the strange emotional cocktail that comes with growing up away from home. Somehow, music becomes the invisible thread tying all these moments together. Each song does not just play in the background; it captures a feeling, a version of us, and a memory we don’t realise we were making at that time.
Golden by Harry Styles
Mornings, for example, are powered by optimism we do not always feel but want to. Golden by Harry Styles feels like sunlight through cold air, like the rarity of the winter sun. It is perfect for lectures where we pretend to have our lives in control. Undoubtedly, there is something strangely comforting about stepping into the day with music that makes a rushed morning feel cinematic.
Ceilings by Lizzy McAlpine
Then come the study sessions, the part of student life that is equal parts productive and painfully distracting. During long hours at the Billy B, I usually gravitate towards the songs that feel somewhat grounding, like Ceilings by Lizzy McAlpine. These songs create a quiet emotional space where deadlines feel much more manageable, and thoughts feel clearer. Personally, I feel that studying becomes something more reflective.
Vienna by Billy Joel
Of course, not every moment at university is calm. Some evenings carry a gruelling sense of uncertainty. Career worries, academic pressure, or random homesickness add to this apprehension. On days like this, songs like Vienna by Billy Joel feel like gentle reminders to slow down. They reassure me, at least, that it is okay to not have everything figured out yet, a lesson that university life quietly teaches everyone.
Electric Love by BØRNS
But student life is not complete without its spontaneous joy, either. Late-night walks with friends, laughing over nothing, or celebrating surviving a difficult week deserve music that feels electric and carefree. Tracks like Electric Love by BØRNS perfectly capture that chaos, the feeling that these ordinary nights might someday become extraordinary memories.
Scott Street by Phoebe Bridges
Perhaps the most unexpected part of the semester’s soundtrack, however, is the music I listen to when solitude seems beautiful and much needed. Scott Street by Phoebe Bridges accompanies quiet walks across campus, moments of introspection, and the subtle realisation that university is as much about self-discovery as it is about academics. These songs feel like conversations almost: honest, messy, and strangely comforting.
A Diary of Melodies
Looking back, the term this far was not defined by grades, deadlines, or major milestones. Instead, it was shaped by small moments, like a song playing through my headphones during a lonely bus ride, a shared playlist with friends, or music filling the silence of a room that slowly began to feel like home.
If university is a chapter of transformation, then music is its narrator. It captures emotions that words struggle to express and preserves memories long after the year ends. And maybe that’s why the soundtrack of the semester is not just a collection of songs, but rather a diary written in melodies.
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