The crisp morning envelops you as you leave your apartment to walk to class. You stop by Starbucks to get a cinnamon oat milk latte, the warmth of the cup in your hands sending a feeling of comfort throughout your whole body. The only thing missing from your positive morning aura is music. You turn on your favorite playlist and start the blissful walk to class.
First, your favorite song comes on. A chill little tune by Faye Webster or Gracie Abrams transports you to a warm field of flowers where you lay on the ground, staring up at swirls of blue and white in the sky. The song ends, and the next begins. The opening notes immediately chill your bones, and you’re transported somewhere much less pleasant. This is the song that you showed to your ex and used to listen to religiously with them religiously, and now the sound of the first few lines is enough to plummet your mood.
What Just Happened?
We love to associate things with people. As humans, we always manage to do it. That iced matcha latte with strawberry cold foam? That’s the drink you always used to get with your best friend from high school. Zoolander? That’s the movie that you introduced to some of your college friends, and now whenever you see each other, you can’t stop quoting it. People often add meaning to some of our favorite things in life.
Sometimes we share our precious favorite songs when we get to know people. It’s all fun and games until these relationships go south, and all of the sudden, the things you’ve shared with them that you once treasured become tainted. As the Morgan Wallen song goes, “You ruined damn near everything I love.”
Many Penn Staters have experienced their favorite songs being tainted by bad memories, what with the flaky nature of romantic relationships and the drama that often arises within friendships at this school.
The Negatives of Gatekeeping
That being said, what is life without sharing the things you’re passionate about? Sharing is an aspect of our identity. The things we show people, especially music, shape an aspect of their perception of who we are. Similarly, the music people show us adds to our cultural repertoire to make us more well-rounded individuals.
So, should share our favorite songs with a new romantic prospect or a new friend? How else are we going to fill awkward silences in the first stages except with yapping on about the TV Girl song you found that transports you to another dimension?
If sharing music is important to your identity, remember to tread carefully.
The Moral of the Story
Be careful with who you share your favorite songs with. The people who might just be out to create havoc in your life might take your favorite songs down with you. Don’t allow the desire to impress people with your music taste to override your personal connection with a song. It’s a facet of the whole idea of protecting your peace. Protect the things that bring you peace, your playlist being one of them. At the end of the day, the best person to share your favorite tune with is yourself, because only you see the aspect of beauty in it that makes it your favorite.
What are your thoughts on sharing your favorite music with new people? Let us know on X @VALLEYmag!
