Current Mood

By now, I'm sure everybody knows what an emotional journey getting through work and school can be. Especially working from home and attending virtual classes. There is no longer such a thing as a "school" playlist or a "work" playlist; it depends on my mood. Whether I'm motivated, focused, energetic, sad, or (what usually happens) a strange combination of those I have playlists on standby. Seriously, I feel like Spotify is one new playlist away from sending me an email saying "You alright, love?" So, I've pared down 5 of those playlists for you to get your own mood-board-playlists started because you simply can never have enough.

I do a lot of writing and painting, so when I'm looking for the perfect work playlist it starts off a little like this. I'm looking for a nice chill vibe for work hours. Something that's nice to listen to and maybe sing or hum along with, but nothing too in your face or I will get distracted. My current favorite song is on this list, a nice throwback, All the Love You Need by Big Head Todd and The Monsters. If you have Amazon music, I highly recommend just throwing in their station one day.

Along with my writing and painting, I'm also a college student. Luckily, I was a virtual student before it was the new craze so nothing has changed for me in this department except for where I do my schoolwork. I used to like sitting in coffee shops and juice bars just to have a change of scenery and have some sort of routine. Now, I sit at my kitchen counter. I've tried listening to different coffee house playlists and they just didn't feel right for me, so I decided to make my own. I wanted something with a little more flavor than the typical Bon Iver, Head and the Heart, Lumineers monotony of coffee house music. It's still relaxed, but has some fun. I also love putting on Louis Tomlinson’s album “Walls” or shuffling The 1975’s discography. I find it important, for me at least, to have familiar music on when I’m trying to focus on school.

This is my ultimate go to playlist, if I'm honest. I always feel like I need a break. The meme that's like "wrote 5 words of a 3 page paper so I'm rewarding myself with a 4 hour break" is me in a nutshell. Especially now. This playlist is how I reward myself during and in between tasks. You put it on shuffle and you get one or two songs worth of dancing with your dogs and scream singing to get all your wiggles out before getting back to work. I listen to a lot of throwbacks when I need a breather, but am always looking for new-to-me songs to add to this playlist.

If at any time over the last six months you've laid face down on your living room floor, this playlist is for you. And I'm not judging because I've done it. I've also laid on my kitchen floor, bathroom floor, patio, stairway; you name it! Sometimes you just have a lot of feelings and you just can't do anything else. It happens! This playlist is for when you're sad so you want to listen to sad music and then you end up hurting your own feelings.

Okay, you're done laying face down on the carpet time to get stuff done! Or maybe you woke up in a funk or took a nap and now you don't know what day it is. This playlist is here to get you back on track. Proper feel good music for every occasion. This is another one where throwbacks are essential. I also love to add songs from soundtracks that have some nostalgia value like Rusted Root’s “Send Me On My Way” which I know from “Matilda” or some songs from “RENT”.

This is still a crazy time for everyone, but music will always be there to comfort you. Make as many playlists as you need to. One for every mood, every day, every feeling; everything. Music doesn't have to be monotonous, play what suits you everyday. Search for the new (or new to you) and find comfort in the old. There’s so much out there so keep searching until you find that special song (or songs) that speak to you in every moment.