Music is so important to me. It calms me down, it pumps me up, it makes me feel sad, happy or mad. I was introduced to music at an early age. My mom went to concerts of her favorite bands while she was pregnant with me. When I was younger, my dad would play guitar, my mom would sing along and I would dance around the living room. Before my family moved to Salida, I lived in an even smaller town called Penrose. I never took any musical lessons of any kind like singing or piano. However, when my family moved to Salida I joined the school choir. It was a required class, but I enjoyed singing so much that I joined the after school choir as well. I have continued choir all through middle school and high school. I love being able to share my love for music with other people. 

Music has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety and can improve your sleep quality. Whenever I’m stressed out or anxious I listen to music. I think music is different for everybody, but I don’t think anyone would want to live without music. Even if we don’t realize it, music is playing all around us. In your head, in the grocery store, in the elevator. You might be tapping your hands on your desk or drumming with pencils. For me, listening to music brings back certain memories. If I listen to a song I listened to during quarantine, it brings back all those emotions and memories from when we were stuck inside our homes. I remember listening to certain songs while completing online school work. When I listen to them now it brings that whole experience back. It’s amazing how different songs can make you feel different emotions.

Music can help people through their struggles, and it can also bring people together. Songs where people are speaking of personal experiences or struggles can connect me to the song more. It sometimes helps me understand myself better, knowing that other people are going through the same thing as I am. I encourage you to look for music all around you, and to ask people what music means to them and what emotions come to mind when they are listening to it. I’m sure you will connect more with the music when you listen to it yourself.