As the weather gets colder — or maybe this is my way of manifesting that — and a new school year kicks into gear, I find myself reflecting on how I have grown since my last year here. And then, I open up my Spotify, where my curated “daylist” says I’m having a “dissociation” night… okay. So, here are thirteen songs to enhance one’s pondering experience — best listened to while walking down Broad Street or crossing the quad before classes.
1. “OMG” — Suki Waterhouse
The sudden burst of guitars as Waterhouse begins the chorus with the lines “Oh my god / Take me back the way that I was” is the perfect way to blast some energy into one’s pondering. As Waterhouse misses the person she used to be, I ask myself if I miss last year’s me or am I proud of the person I have become?
2. “Cherry” — Harry Styles
“Cherry” is one of Styles’ slower songs, perfect for wandering and pondering as the leaves change around us. Styles reflects on his past relationships with lyrics like “I noticed that there’s a piece of you in how I dress / Take it as a compliment” — an excellent lyric to consider how we become the product of everyone we know.
3. “You (Show Me Where My Days Went)” — Wallows
In my first year at Colgate University, my roommate said “The days are long but the weeks are short,” and that has stuck with me. With lines like “When I reflect / I used to deflect / In fear of what more years would do” and of course “Show me where my days went,” I am reminded of my roommate’s words, and to live each day to its fullest while I am here.
4. “4EVER” — Clairo
“Is it ever gonna change? / Am I gonna feel this way forever? / Are you gonna be around for me to count on?” Clairo asks in the chorus of one of her classic indie hits. I find myself asking the same questions each year I return to campus — will I feel this way forever?
5. “Wake Me” — Bleachers
This song is a perfect example of Bleachers’ timeless lyricism, including the chorus’ main line, “Right from the start I knew / You’d set a fire in me.” While the lyrics are not about reflection necessarily, the low beat and minimal instrumentals make it the perfect soundtrack to traipse around campus.
6. “Better Than I Know Myself” — Del Water Gap
“Don’t you know me / better than I know me?” up-and-coming indie darling Del Water Gap sings in the lyrics of his song which meshes reflective vocals with pop instrumentals. The song has me asking: Are those around me capable of understanding me in ways I cannot? At least with this song, I can dance while I ponder.
7. “Stargazing” — The Neighbourhood
Okay, maybe we’ve had enough deep thought. “Stargazing” combines an electric background with upbeat vocals, including lyrics like “Keep running ‘til we’re lost / Got me thinkin’.” This song inspires excitement for the year ahead and all the possibilities it holds.
8. “Apocalypse” — Cigarettes After Sex
The slow drum beat and vocals of this track bring us back to a place of nostalgia, evoking the first nights of fall where we bundle up as we go outside. Lyrics such as “Come out and haunt me” also remind me of my time at Colgate — on such a small campus, one never knows who they will bump into and when.
9. “Romeo & Juliet” — Peter McPoland
The dreamy piano intro to this tune evokes foggy fall mornings spent wondering what this season will bring. As the chorus transitions into a funky guitar riff, I reflect on high school days reading “Romeo and Juliet” and just how far I have come since then. This song is perfect for anyone looking to maximize their fall romanticization.
10. “The Adults Are Talking” — The Strokes
The fast guitar and drum beats in “The Adults Are Talking” inspire a sort of nervous energy — can you be nervous in a good way? If so, this song embodies that. Lyrics like “Because you’re all confused” also communicate this message, reminiscent of frenetic days crossing between academic buildings and the library — hey, at least the view is great!
11. “Supercut” — Lorde
What could be more perfect for a pondering sesh than “Supercut,” with lyrics like “These visions never stop / These ribbons wrap me up?” Lorde’s music, this song especially, epitomizes a good reflection on the past. I might not even notice the outro echoing out — I am that deep in thought.
12. “Dark Red” — Steve Lacy
A song about pondering, where Lacy puts himself in the position of his partner to reconsider their relationship, is perfect to ponder to. Lacy has described his early music as plaid, saying “there’s a lot going on, but it doesn’t clash at all.” Another similarity is that both plaid and his production style are perfect for cooler temperatures, the changing leaves and thinking about life.
13. “End of the Beginning ” — Djo
While this song may have had its moment last spring, I will argue it is perfect for the new beginning autumn brings. The lyric “Just trust me you’ll be fine” brings us full circle from “OMG” — even if I am not the same person I once was, that is okay.
