First year of college? DONE. Now I only have three more to go…

Anyway, this past year I listened to a lot of music. I mean, I don’t have over 500 songs on my phone for nothing! Plus, I think music can often provide motivation, encouragement, and support all through life, and it expresses things that sometimes can’t be described in just words.

This week, I wanted to share a handful of songs that I’m calling my Freshman Year Soundtrack. Although I listened to much more than this list, these are the songs that I think most describe my year and are also some of the songs that most encouraged me all through the school year. You can listen to the whole playlist on Spotify, but if you want to hear my explanations of the songs, keep reading!

1) “New Horizons” – Flyleaf

I like this song because it looks towards the future with hope. I thought about this a lot as I started my first year of college – there was a lot of excitement, a little bit of nervousness, and plenty of new opportunities on the horizon.

2) “This Is My Year” – Family Force 5

This song is a bit of a leftover from my high school graduation, when I considered this to be “my song” for that time, but I thought of it again as I started college. Like “New Horizons,” this also has a positive, uplifting outlook on a new part of life. Things are changing, yes, and that can be hard, but I have so much to look forward to because of it.

3) “Satisfied” – House of Heroes

To be honest, “Satisfied” really just reminds me of the summer in terms of sound, but I also like the optimism it has. The chorus sings, “I can be satisfied with you in my saddest times or I can’t be satisfied at all,” and I think that’s a good outlook to have on rough times. In a way, it feels like a reminder to be thankful, something I’ve been working on over the past few months.

4) “Rebirthing” – Skillet

Admittedly, I am not as big of a Skillet fan as I used to be, but I always seem to come back to Comatose. Not only does “Rebirthing” sound epic, which is motivating in itself, but it also has a victorious, overcoming tone, which is always encouraging.

5) “Pushover” – Manafest

One of my favorite Manafest quotes is: “A Fighter isn’t someone who never fails, a Fighter is someone who never quits,” and I think this song really captures that attitude. Things aren’t always going to go the way you want them to, and sometimes the odds will be stacked against you, but you gotta get back up and keep going.

6) “Right Here, Right Now” – Matty Mullins

I didn’t really start listening to Matty Mullins until my second semester, but I fell in love with this song, especially the chorus. I’m not really sure how to describe it, except that it’s a song that’s comforting in the midst of feeling stressed and overwhelmed. I definitely listened to this a lot, believe me.

7) “Impossible” – Lacey Sturm

“Impossible” can really be summed up by the line: “Every morning I see another miracle, I can’t believe I’m living the impossible.” To me, that’s really about looking at each day as a gift, and when you approach life that way, it’s awe-inspiring. When we see life as “living the impossible,” it really changes how you think about things.

8) “Relief” – Wolves At The Gate

Although “Dead Man” is still my favorite WATG song, “Relief” is a song that really encouraged me this past school year. As the title implies, it’s all about finding rest and relief, something I often needed, especially when it felt like I had too many responsibilities to handle.

9) “Fearless” – For Today

After seeing For Today at Uprise Festival and buying one of their t-shirts, I decided to investigate what song the lyrics on the back of the t-shirt were from. That led me to “Fearless,” which is about being unafraid when faced with trials. Plus, this song was incredibly motivating at the gym.

10) “First Love” – Disciple

“First Love” is my favorite song from Disciple’s newest album, Long Live the Rebels, which I consider one of the best Disciple albums. To be honest, describing the song really doesn’t do it justice, so I think you should just go ahead and listen to it. The lyrics are phenomenal, the music is amazing, and it’s just all around a very incredible song.

11) “Wash Away” – As We Ascend

This is less about the song and more about the band itself. When I got my digital copy of Farewell to Midnight back in January, I was beyond excited. After everything that happened with We As Human and how heartbreaking that was, just seeing this incredible band and music rise from the ashes of that filled me with hope.

12) “Live It Well” – Memphis May Fire

This song comes at the end of This Light I Hold, so I think it sometimes gets ignored, but it’s becoming one of my favorite MMF songs. The lyrics feel very personal and honest, as the lead vocalist reflects on how his life will impact others. It’s something that I try to keep in mind – What is the story my life will tell?

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If you were to make a soundtrack for the past few months, what songs would you choose? Feel free to share some of your favorites, or create and share a playlist of your own! I’m always interested in talking with you (and discovering new music!)

Until next time!