All alone.

Sitting in my room, I contemplated why I felt so down on life. It was to meet new people and make friends in a new school that felt so foreign to me. So I put in my headphones and enveloped myself in the music, using it to escape all of my problems.

Music can be intricate, simple, passionate, mellow or emotional. Music can be therapeutic and unite people from around the world.

There are so many genres of music, such as hip-hop, rap, pop, classical, country, metal, R&B and rock. There’s a genre to suit everyone’s taste, no matter how niche. The wonderful thing about music is how it can unite people from completely different backgrounds around the world over one shared passion. Music is a representation of culture: one’s experiences and emotions. It can show the depth of an artist’s perspective on life. The connections people can make with music are some of the most important for the benefit of one’s emotional well-being. 

There is so much time and effort that goes into making music. By appreciating the process, my love for it grew even more. I’ve learned about the intricacies of making beats, crafting lyrics and singing. The cadence you have when singing matters. As someone who appreciates everything music has to offer, both in an emotional and satisfactory setting, I consider music to be one of the most important forms of human expression.

For a while, I was in a dark place mentally. But the one thing that remained a bright spot was music. Whether it was sitting down and putting on my favorite playlist or actually writing music of my own, music remained a constant that helped me get out of a dark place.

The emotional and physical escape music provided was one of the most beneficial things that helped me through that rough period of time. I had just moved away from my childhood home. Moving schools didn’t help, but at a time where there was a lot of change around me, music remained constant. Whenever I felt alone or struggled with negative thoughts, all I had to do was put my headphones in and relax. It truly helped me figure out hope to cope with changing surroundings and helped me combat the negative emotions and thoughts I was having. 

Music enabled me to learn how to express my emotions through writing. I learned that putting down my thoughts and letting my creativity flow helped me. It spurred my passion for writing and allowed me to view writing in a different light. Music became my safe space and a way I could set aside the negative factors around me and focus on the positives. 

Through listening to music, I found that the connection and impact music can have on a listener is super important. I related to lyrics that represented and conveyed the emotions I was feeling at the time. It’s hard to put emotions and feelings into words sometimes, but the lyrics I listened to seemed to do it perfectly. I related to the music and felt as if I was understood; it was nice to know that I wasn’t alone in feeling that way. 

Over the years, my music taste has changed quite a bit, evolving as I grew up. Originally, I was into more upbeat music and whatever was on the radio. I enjoyed the music my dad listened to with artists like Linkin Park and Fall Out Boy. As I grew up, I started to listen to more rap and hip-hop. I got into newer artists like Juice WRLD and DC the Don, but I also appreciated the classics like 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G (Biggie). Recently, I’ve listened to more metal and gotten into bands like Sleep Token, Xanthochroid and my current favorite, ironically, Currents. I’ve also recently gotten back into my older music taste for the nostalgia I get when I listen to those bands. It takes me back to a time when everything seemed more alive. 

I’ve always been open to all genres of music, and I see the beauty in all, even if my personal taste doesn’t align with that kind of music. There is beauty in all forms of music, whether it’s a more classical song or even if it’s experimental. One thing that can always be appreciated about music is its meaning and the effort that went into making it, as well as the emotional connections that can be made with music. 

Music brightened my mood in a time where nothing seemed to have a glimmer of hope. It can bring someone out of a dark place mentally and create a safe space. There are so many ways music can be beneficial; it is and will always be one of the most valuable forms of human expression.

People will often see me with an airpod in my ear, vibing to some of my favorite artists. It will always stay my safe space to get away from the outside world and problems that I have.Whenever I feel as if I need to just get away, I know I can put my headphones in and envelop myself with the music.