My Pseudo-80s Playlist // by Kelsey

I’m pretty sure I was born in the wrong decade. Big hair and bright, neon clothes? Sign me up. I used to tease my parents relentlessly about their horrific taste in music and couldn’t possibly imagine how they grew up with that as their main means of entertainment. But as always, Momma Suggs knows best. And now the 80’s are BACK! Cassie and I even attempted to learn a jazzercise work out video over the summer… it wasn’t pretty. If you want to try it out yourself, click here!

Now I know nothing will ever truly live up to the real 80’s, so here are a few songs with a little modern twist. I’ll even throw in a cover of my favorite 80’s classic (:

The Island (Madeon Remix) - Pendulum

Dancing On My Own - Robyn

Enjoy the Silence (Cover) - Anberlin

Spiralling - Keane

An Honest Mistake - The Bravery

Seventeen Forever - Metro Station

Bulletproof - La Roux

Mix It Up

Spring is in the air! And since summer is almost here, I’ve been listening to my (aptly named) “SUMMER!” playlist on repeat since Spring Break. These songs have been in my head, nonstop, while biking around our beautiful campus. With the sun shining, it’s hard not to be happy.

What's on your summer playlist??

1. “A Case of You” – Joni Mitchell (Joni’s voice = Sunshine)

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2. “Animal” – Neon Trees (Reminds me of my little sister, when we were biking through Canada last summer)
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3. “Fugitive” – David Gray (For some reason, this song is always refreshing and puts me in a good mood)
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4. “Worn Me Down” – Rachael Yamagata (When we have days off from practice, I love running or walking around Lake Lagunita to this song!)
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5. “Solsbury Hill” – Peter Gabriel (Pretty self-explanatory. If you haven’t heard this song, you’re missing out)
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6. “California On My Mind” – Wild Light (Because California is on my mind…)
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7. “I’ll Fly Away” – Alison Krauss (Again, self explanatory)
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8. “Float On” – Modest Mouse (Reminds me that no matter what happens, “We’ll all float on…”)
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Fight or Flight... my Knockout Mixtape

I've come to find that the perfect pump-up song is a crucial ingredient to successful game preparation. The best songs stick in my head for an entire practice or game, pushing me farther than I ever thought I could go. Biologically speaking, a great pump-up song activates one's sympathetic nervous system, your body’s active “fight or flight” response. Just listening to the right song at the right time can raise your heart rate, facilitate more efficient use of oxygen, help you focus, and get your nervous system and body as a whole ready for going all out. I can confidently say that the games and training sessions where we, as a team, have listened to a catchy song have been our most successful {not to mention, most fun!}.

For example, we listened to “Wop” by J. Dash on repeat in the weight room last Monday. This song had everyone in a fantastic mood and consequently had us moving a lot of weight! Lil’ Wayne aka Weezy aka Weezy F. Baby aka The Carter has numerous legit songs to get us amped for games. I’ve listed some of my favorites below, however it is important to remember that every pump-up song is unique to each player. Make sure you find one that gets YOUR blood pumping!

“Knockout” Lil’ Wayne ft. Nicki Minaj
“Little Secret Fireman” – Lil’ Wayne and Passion Pit – Tim Gunter Mix
“Right Above It” – Lil’ Wayne ft. Drake
“Stuntin’ Like Mufasa” – Lil’ Wayne vs. Lion King
“What We Need" – Lil’ Wayne Ft. Glasses Malone