I’m sure this has been brought on by my upcoming move and new job, but I’ve been finding myself listening to my nostalgia playlists more often lately.

Most of these songs are ones that I haven’t listened to in years, but when I hear them I’m instantly reminded of memories from a specific year, couple of months, or even a particular event.

• Songs from Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay bring me back to my first year of high school which was around the time I first started paying enough attention to music to care about new albums coming out.
• Mumford and Sons’ first albums remind me of when I was first getting introduced to the friend group I would stick with all through high school.
• Most of Muse and Weezer’s discography bring back memories of the jam sessions with brothers and friends.
• Two Door Cinema Club’s first two albums remind me of when my dad pulled my brothers and I out of school to drive all the way out to San Diego for one of their shows.
• Basically anything that my parents listened to takes me back to long road trips as a kid. This includes X&Y by Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie’s Plans, The Cure, The Church, U2, and a lot of other random artists here and there. A lot of this same music I also associate with when my dad would take me out to fly RC planes with him on Saturday mornings.

There’s something about going back and listening to all this music. It’s like reminding myself of all the places I’ve been, things I’ve done, and people I’ve met and gotten close to. Something that’s especially fun to do during life transitions.

I wonder how long it’ll be until I’m nostalgic for all the music that got me through university.