It's college time baby! It's hectic, stressful, unbelievable, amazing, overwhelming... and overall I'm glad to finally be here. High school's got nothing on this life. This playlist tells the story of the weeks leading up to my entrance into Carolina, ending at the present day.

One
Closing Time by Semi-Sonic



'You don't have to go home but you can't stay here'

High school is over, behind us for good. There is no going back, except for perhaps a brief and negligible stint at Homecoming. It's on to bigger things in the college world, for better or worse.

'I hope you have found a friend/
Closing time/
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end'

The end of high school for many represents the end of long-standing friendships. People may stay in touch, but over time, distance and the chaos of early college life will usually lead to separation. However, college also leads to meeting countless new people from all around the country, and inevitably, new connections will form.

Two
Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles

'Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces/
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here'

Senior year means applications, exams, assignments, and stress. After it is all over, though, it's time to kick back and rest on your laurels for a couple months! Summer has finally arrived. It's been a long time coming, for sure.

Three
Beautiful Day by U2



'It’s a beautiful day/
Don’t let it get away'

A sad truth in this world is that all good things must come to an end. Summer, though beautiful and relaxing, cannot last forever, and one must enjoy it while he can, or he will end up completely missing his last chance to be worry free.

Four
'Make That Money' by Robi Rob's Clubworld

This song is most definitely a little bit tongue-in-cheek, but I think the overall theme of the song is pertinent to getting ready for college. You have to make money, because college is EXPENSIVE! Nobody wants to graduate in debt and have to pay it back over many years.

Five
The Last Stop by Dave Matthews Band

Orientation. Crazy, chaotic... not the best experience ever, but it was necessary. I'm including this song not for the specific lyrics, but rather for the overall sound of the music. It's a little hectic, like CTOPS was.

Six
Clocks by Coldplay



'Confusion never stops, closing walls and ticking clocks'

I included this song to represent the beginning of the semester, when classes start to heat up and assignments start flowing. It can seem like the walls are closing around you and the clock is ticking on countless deadlines. If you're not careful, it will lead to confusion, disorientation and helpless homesickness...

Seven
Dream On by Aerosmith



'The past is gone/
It went by like dust to dawn'

The sun finally sets on summer. This is a time of nostalgia and final goodbyes as people from your hometown start to trickle away to their various campuses around the nation.

Eight
Far Away by Nickelback



'And I miss you/
Been far away for far too long'

Homesickness is inevitable, and here it sets in like a cold hand closing around your chest. There is nobody around you to support you or tell you it's going to be all right; it is your job now to keep your head above water. There is a hole in your heart where your family, friends, and/or love interest used to be, but it will slowly heal.

Nine
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett



'But there's booze in the blender,/
And soon it will render/
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on.'

However desperately hopeless you might have once been, the feeling will pass. You will find happiness somewhere, anywhere, and use it to your advantage. Eventually Carolina will truly feel like home. Hopefully, it won't take too much booze to instill this feeling.