Twenty One Pilots- “Holding On To You”

“Tie a noose around your mind
Loose enough to breathe fine and tie it
To a tree. Tell it, “You belong to me.
This ain’t a noose, this is a leash.
And I have news for you: you must obey me.”

“Holding On To You” is the first Twenty One Pilots song I ever listened to, and it sparked a love that quickly turned to an obsession over an insane duo that jumped around on stage in skeleton jackets and ski masks. Their songs have deep, sometimes rap-style lyrics disguised by bouncy, fast-paced beats, and they group has cultivated almost a cult-like fan base that aims to aid those suffering through depression and suicidal thoughts. While I could list multiple other songs by the band that I absolutely adore, this song will always be extra special to me as the first song I fell in love with, and it’s a track I can’t let myself skip on shuffle.

The Goo Goo Dolls- “Iris”

“And I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand”

“Iris” is a song that I can remember listening to on the radio as a little girl, so the tune is definitely a nostalgic one. I had a moment a few years back when the song came on a Pandora station and I sat back to listen to the lyrics for the first time to which I found myself listening to the song over and over again. The Goo Goo Dolls produced some quality songs in the late 90’s early 2000’s, and I feel like this song will follow me for awhile.

Eric Clapton/Derek & The Dominos- “Layla” 

This song is a classic, but I really only love it for the complete contrast of a piano exit at the end of the song. It has an especially strong meaning to me, though, because it’s a track that I can remember playing in the background of many of my childhood memories, as well as a tune my dad would always plunk out on the piano. If I ever feel down or homesick, it’s a song I can play and be transported to a past summer spending time with my family.

MisterWives- “Reflections”

If there’s a song that instantly cheers me up, this is the one. The vocalist is incredible and adorable, and  the song is so bouncy and light that it quickly became one of my favorites to listen to on my way to class. The beat is fun to match up with your stride, and almost a spiritual experience to soak in on a sunny day when there are plenty of dogs running around on the oval.

Imogen Heap- “Hide and Seek”

The OG “mmm whatcha say” song, “Hide and Seek” is a spiritual experience in it’s self. Imogen Heap’s layered voice creates this angelic vibe that puts me on a whole different plane of existence. The song is beautiful, and always a good one to listen to.

Deniece Williams- “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”

This song was one that I thought of last minute to add to my list, but after thinking about it, it’s one the really impacted me in my senior year of high school. I added a version that’s a little more tame than the original or Broadway recorded version, but this song was my solo for my high school’s spring musical. Having a musical was a big deal for our small-town school considering our drama section had died off a few years before I made it to the building (there was no one to oversee the club), so the community blew up when our show was announced. The whole experience really solidified my senior year and brought out a side of me that I didn’t know I was hiding. I honestly think it allowed me to open up and become moreso myself to the point that I could transition into OSU with such confidence.

Panic! At The Disco- “The End Of All Things”

Brendon Urie, in my own personal opinion, is a vocal god. I’m in love with this band, and have been since my emo/angsty pre-teen years began. This song, though, is amazing. It’s heartfelt because the frontman, Brendon Urie, wrote the lyrics as vows for his recent marriage to his wife, Sarah Urie. At the same time, Brendon cranks out these incredible vocals in this live version that are jaw-dropping. I love this song and this band.

John Powell (How To Train Your Dragon)- “Forbidden Friendship”

I will always be in love with the movie How To Train Your Dragon, and if someone believes Toothless the dragon isn’t the cutest animated creature, they’re lying to themselves! Powell created an amazing score for this movie, and this track in particular still gives me chills when I listen to it. It captures a brilliant moment of friendship, and I love the way the score can completely animate the story in my mind.

I live on Spotify, and I’m sure some of my choices today may not be my choices in weeks/months/years to come, yet I believe the playlist I created here reflects many points of my personality and deep connections to music.

Honorable Mentions-
Twenty One Pilots- Taxi Cab
Paramore- Part II
Fleetwood Mac- Sara
First Aid Kit- Wolf
E.S. Posthumus- Odenall Pi

Top 5 Results:

• Adaptability
• Positivity
• Strategic
• Empathy
• Individualization

Adaptability: I was mildly surprised by this result of adaptability, especially considering it was my top strength, yet after thinking about how I may be well-adaptable I realized that this result is pretty spot-on. I flow well in situations, and can change directions rapidly if needed. At the same time, I find myself able to settle into new places and situations efficiently. For example, traveling is one of my favorite things because I can experience and soak up the different culture and schedule of life in the new place.

Positivity: Unlike adaptability, I was expecting a higher placed result relating to positivity and/or excitement. While some people have told me I ‘radiate good vibes,’ I genuinely do try to look at the brighter side of life whenever I can. I heavily value a good sense of humor and ability to make a project more exciting, even if it means simply turning on music while I am working. While I may ‘radiate’ the positive vibes, I also find myself feeding off of positivity from others as well. I like to surround myself with happy, passionate people that understand fun and humor but still value hard work.

Strategic: This result was another surprise to me, and was also surprisingly high up on my list considering my top result was all about ‘going with the flow.” While I don’t particularly seek out opportunities for problem-solving, I do find myself planning around the time that I have, and making sure things get done in any way possible (where the adaptable part comes in). I enjoy new paths and trying out different solutions to problems, as well as trying new things. I am always up for an adventure, which combines my adaptability and strategic results together pretty well.

As soon as the announcement was made that we would need to create a photo project with a partner for the Arts Scholars, I immediately began dreaming up some elaborate photo shoot with a classmate to find the “perfect” picture to capture our personalities. Funny enough though, as I paired up with Kage Brubaker I discovered that I had the completely wrong idea about the focus of this project. The more we got to know each other over the course of this project (as well as beyond this project) the more I discovered how we cared less about using a fancy camera set up and more about the jokes of wanting to take a picture beside of a garbage can because we were “trash,” or in a tree to symbolize random “freedom.” This process ended up being very simple, which almost reflects our seemingly minimalistic ideals. This specific picture of Kage really sums up his personality in my eyes; he’s making a funny facial expression, wrapped up in a mocking sitting position, and displayed in a neutral background of green. His sarcastic and hilarious nature is openly demonstrated here, but I also feel a certain sense of trust is hidden here as well considering after only knowing me for a month he was extremely willing to look ridiculous in public for a photo. I find irony in the uncomfortable looking pose he struck for me, because in reality Kage is incredibly comfortable here. He is very comfortable with himself; he knows what he wants, knows what he likes. I truly appreciate this project for allowing me to get to know such a kind and interesting person with a golden sense of humor and wit, and I know this is only the beginning of our sarcasm filled friendship.