Music influences people in many ways from genres they prefer to the communities they connect with. Listeners often choose sounds that match their style, beliefs or mood, and with so many genres to explore, there’s something for everyone.
For many students, music plays an important role in daily campus life. Gabriella Buenrostro (junior, Creative Media) said music is part of nearly everything she does.
“Music for me is so important. When I say this, I mean I have my headphones on everywhere I go. Music is a big reason I am a Creative Media major. I want to create visual stories that give different messages to my viewers and that message is dependent on the type of music I decided to draw inspiration from,” Buenrostro said.
Buenrostro explained how her own tastes are harder to define.
“I have to say I don’t have a specific genre because I love listening to everything. I can listen to music in different languages that I don’t know, I just research it afterwards. I love R&B, orchestra, trap music, ballads, you name it. Music truly has no barriers and I have had all types of genres have at least one song give me goosebumps.”
Other students connect with specific genres depending on what they’re doing. Daisy Barajas (Senior, Geology) said her listening habits often depend on her workload.
“It depends on what I am doing and what I am listening to. Usually when I do schoolwork, I only listen to classical music because I find that it helps me focus better. Other music tends to distract me,” Barajas said.
Classical music is known to help improve focus, reduce stress and even enhance memory making it a popular choice for study sessions.
Still, Barajas said her playlists extend beyond classical.
“I like to listen to everything. If I find a song catchy, it will be on repeat for a while. However, I do find myself listening to alternative or pop rock music more. ”
When asked what she’s been listening to lately, Barajas mentioned two albums she’s had on repeat.
“Jaws of life by Pierce the Veil is an album I really enjoy and have enjoyed for a while now. Lately I have been really liking the Bite me album by Renee Rapp, I have been listening to it a lot.”
For some, music is also a social affair. Something that brings people together oftentimes creating friendships through shared taste. Rebecca Sobrevilla (Senior, Communications) said much of her social life revolves around music and the communities she’s part of.
“Music plays a huge role in my social life. I’m a part of many fandoms and I’m really present on social media because of this. A lot of my closest friends I have met online because of our connection over certain artists. Same thing goes with meeting people at events such as concerts or even wearing merch of that artist and starting conversations that way,” Sobrevilla said.
From study sessions to social circles, music is an evolving art form that brings students across campus together. Whether it’s classical, pop-rock or trap, music often influences how people engage with their surroundings.
