FROSH 2024: Back 2 School Mixtape

By Daman Singh, Ansharah Shakil, September 4 2024—

It’s the first day of school. Things are terrifying, you’re lost in the Science Theatre basement trying to find your first lecture and nothing seems to work out how you planned. Welcome to university and don’t believe the hype. We curated a special frosh issue of our monthly mixtapes to get you through your first-day jitters, you will enjoy it. Listen to the full playlist here.

“What Goes Around…/…Comes Around” by Justin Timberlake 

You simply cannot have a university life without a “pre-gaming” playlist to get in the right mood. Whether it is getting dressed to go to your first university party or dancing with your roommates to procrastinate all your assignments during finals season— FutureSex/LoveSounds is the soundtrack to everything you can imagine.

“Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts  

Not only is “Life is a Highway” one of the greatest songs on the Cars soundtrack, it remains for some inexplicable reason deeply moving and irresistible to sing along with even if you’re not driving to university, and somehow relevant to student life.  

“You Only Live Once” by The Strokes

These lyrics ruefully capture how we view ourselves and others — the lyrics of its demo “I’ll Try Anything Once” are even more perfectly, heartrendingly catered to the student experience. That alone would make it a perfect song to listen to while on your commute, but the opening drums and guitar instantly make you feel more awake and more alive. 

“You’re Not Special, Babe” by Orla Gartland

It’s a blunt, honest and kind reminder that Orla Gartland delivers here. Gartland doesn’t shy away from all the complexities of entering adult life, but promises you’re not alone and offers sage advice instead: “Get a job just to get by / Spend your money till you die / Some people don’t stick around / But don’t let yourself down / Find the ones that get you / Stick to them like hot glue / And dance if you want to.”

“Fluorescent Adolescent” by Arctic Monkeys

To no one’s surprise, Alex Turner encapsulates the feeling of being in the weird phase of life  — young adulthood. Ironically, “Nothing seems as pretty as the past though” and “The best you ever had is just a memory” have been two of the most gut-wrenching things someone could say about this transition. I promise you, high school wasn’t your peak and it is only up from here.