Earlier today, I was listening to my 90s playlist on Spotify — no shame. I started belting out “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, a true classic. Next came “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers. While jamming out to my imaginary concert for one, I discovered some of my favorite songs have a common theme: the middle. So simple, yet profound. I began to ask myself: What makes the middle so special?
Jimmy Eat World sings, “It just takes some time, little girl you’re in the middle of the ride.” From my interpretation, this song is about the transitional period of being a teenager — no longer a child but not yet a legitimate adult.
In “One Headlight,” The Wallflowers sing, “There’s got to be something better than in the middle.” This song is melancholy, suggesting that as you grow up and reach “the middle” in your 20s, a lot of what you imagined or thought was real turns out to be a fraud.
In both songs, it is obvious the middle is not the place you want to be. The middle implies being stuck, not quite there. But where is the beginning and where is the end, and just what makes the middle so undesirable?
As college students, we are in the middle — the stage between childhood and adulthood. We’re learning about ourselves and the world around us, making connections and growing up. To me, the middle can be the most exciting part of the journey.
At what other point in our lives is it acceptable to hit snooze for three hours when we want to avoid our responsibilities, wear sweats all day no matter how many people we may see or get pizza at 3 a.m. just because we feel like it?
This is the period when we make friends that last us a lifetime and occasionally find our future husbands and wives — or at least bridesmaids and best men.
College marks the transition between high school and the real world, and it’s the best four years of our lives. A time when you can make mistakes, learning about adversity, diversity and life in the process.
Perhaps the “middle” isn’t so bad after all.
Madison’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at m.rudy@cavalierdaily.com.
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