“Music really just lets me calm down and be relaxed,” said sophomore Ashlyn Wildgrube. While Wildgrube keeps very busy, playing volleyball, wrestling and soccer at BHS and club wrestling on the side, but in what little free time she can find, she loves to make playlists. Wildgrube attributes her interest in music to her background in competitive cheerleading, which she participated in from age 6 to 15. Her team would always listen to music before a competition and from that, she got into the habit of listening to music often.
From making playlists for long car rides to creating them for volleyball games, Wildgrube makes about two playlists a month, and many of her friends feel that her playlists are always enjoyable in different ways. Yet, surprisingly, Wildgrube is less interested in the act of making a playlist, but rather how the end product makes her feel, finding listening to music to be a really good way to feel less anxious and stressed. “I feel like making a playlist itself is boring but listening to music makes me feel better about certain things,” she said. As far as what goes into her playlists depends on her mood and what she’s doing during that day. “If I want to get hyped up before a game, I usually listen to heavier music and soft music when I just want to calm down,” she said.
When creating a new playlist, Wildgrube recommends thinking about the events coming ahead. If you have more upbeat events, you want to find songs that have a more heart-racing pace, like when she’s getting ready for a game or wanting to jam out with her friends. But for Wildgrube, the most important ingredient to making a good playlist is creating a certain mood so that you’re going to want to reach for that playlist when you want to feel a certain way. “When I’m in a calmer mood or when I’m cleaning, I want to listen to softer music.”
In conclusion, making a playlist is all about picking songs that fit together and create a certain mood or vibe. It’s not just about choosing your favorite tracks, but about how they flow and connect. “There are many times when I think of moments I’ve had with my friends and family while listening to my favorite songs,” Wildgrube said. Whether it’s for a special event or just for fun, a good playlist can create help create those unforgettable moments.
