Unless I am walking to class with someone, you will always see me with my headphones in. This has become my routine, as music keeps me from worrying about afternoon meetings, the infinite amount of reading I am behind on and the fact that I am somehow supposed to get eight hours of sleep each night.
After class, music continues to infiltrate my daily routine, as I stay plugged while doing homework. I have always found this easy, probably because I was exposed to music at a young age. I was the stereotypical child playing classical piano at age eight and hating every minute of it. My feet couldn’t even reach the pedals for the longest time. Despite my childish frustrations, and although I never did write a concerto or fully master the heavily-rotated “Für Elise,” I still developed an affection for music.
Then, in seventh grade, I received my most prized Christmas gift — a shiny, tiny, silver iPod Nano. This was as cool as it got in terms of Christmas presents during middle school. Now I could play the three albums I had — JoJo’s “The High Road,” Beyonce’s “B’Day” and Leona Lewis’ “Spirit” — on an endless loop. Unfortunately, my HitClips cartridge for Kelly Clarkson’s “Miss Independent” couldn’t be salvaged. Nonetheless, the sturdy little thing worked its magic for six years, and for that, I am thankful.
I am not thankful for those absent-minded days when I could’ve sworn I put my headphones in my pocket and arrive somewhere without them. I always realize this once I’ve already settled into a Clem cubicle or left my apartment for class. When I am headphone-less, I am not only music-less, but also defenseless in the face of dreaded social encounters.
Without headphones, what other excuse do I have for “accidentally” not hearing someone call my name? How else can I explain why I didn’t walk with a friend I like, but not enough to compromise hearing the bluesy chorus in every Hozier song?
With headphones, we don’t have to contemplate whether we should stop and awkwardly talk to our first-year hookup because, realistically, both of us would rather act like strangers anyway. Hindsight is 20/20 and, unfortunately, so is the memory of Daniel’s or Danielle’s read receipts.
Forgetting headphones on the walk to class is bad, but don’t even get me started on forgetting headphones for the gym. This is probably life’s smallest, yet most devastating, tragedy. There’s a reason why no one has a playlist of heavy breathing sounds on their Spotify. And if Kanye West’s “Stronger” doesn’t motivate you on the treadmill, I’ll be damned.
With that, I’ll leave you a nugget of advice — always keep a spare pair of headphones in your backpack. You’ll thank me later when you are walking side-by-side with the TA who told you your 89.9 wouldn’t round up to a 90. Yes, I am still angry about it.
Leah’s column runs biweekly Fridays. She can be reached at l.retta@cavalierdaily.com.
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