My middle school years were the worst of my life so far. In addition to the struggle of being in seventh grade, I didn’t know what kind of music I liked. Music never had any significance to me, so I would listen to anything. I would wake up and immediately turn on music that kept me stuck in a cycle of bad moods.

As much as I like Mitski and Radiohead, they probably weren’t the best choice of music to listen to the second I woke up. Every day was the same cycle of waking up, playing sad music and being sad. A realization hit me on one gloomy morning. Maybe I could just listen to happier music, and I would be happy. I turned to the Despicable Me 3 soundtrack. After a while, it became irritating, but listening to overly happy music brought up my mood.

Since then, music has become a part of my routine and it feels like something is missing without it. Music fills the silence in the mornings and my nightly Lucki helps me wind down. I don’t listen to the Despicable Me soundtrack anymore, but it made me think about the impact music can have on people.

Music can make a huge difference in mood and tone: soundtracks in movies are perfect examples. Music is something that people can lean on. Hundreds of genres of music create a place for everyone. Everyone can find at least one song they relate to.

Music also brings people together, like how everyone has a shared hatred of Rod Wave. Concerts and music festivals gather people with similar tastes. Music has a place for everyone, and it can be so fun to find yours. I love the feeling of playing a song for my friends while they add it to their own playlists. On the other hand, getting song recommendations from friends can bring you closer and expand your own taste. When I’m getting to know someone, I’ll always ask what kind of music they listen to. A lot of the time, people’s personalities are reflected into the music they listen to, and sometimes music can explain feelings better than plain words can.