Hey guys!
Welcome to SRU!
My name is Amy Pezzuolo, and I am a senior English major at Slippery Rock University.
As you may know, the book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is your assigned reading this summer. The book is full of many controversial, yet extremly interesting topics that a young boy named Charlie faces in high school. An integral part of the book is music. Charlie is passionate, intrigued, and exploring life through a variety of windows; one of them being music. Charlie states numerous times that he feels infinite. That feeling comes from listening to good music, hanging out with his friends, and really living life. In the book, music is so important to him. Giving a mixed tape to his friend Patrick, Charlie states, "I hope it's the kind of second side that he can listen to whenever he drives alone and feel like he belongs to something whenever he's sad. I hope it can be that for him." Charlie's unforgettable journey is emotional, and really relates to any individual who reads this book. Whether you can relate through hardships and struggles, or the moments that make life worth living- this book will pull you in and won't let go.
Creating music and sharing creates a community, so lets share our songs, moments, and memories to build relationships, just as Charlie does. I'd like to give you a little piece of me by sharing songs that make me feel infinite. As a senior at SRU, I have been through so many life changes, but wouldn't take one moment back. As I reflect on my years in college, the friends I've made, the parties I've gone to, and the long nights of studying, memories come flooding back. Here is the soundtrack to my infinite playlist:
1. Rascal Flatts - These Days
-I knew every word to this song before I had ever heard it. On the school bus en route to a football game in high school, the older "cooler" girls would sing this song at the top of their lungs. I knew all the words and sang along before I ever heard the actual song. One day, driving in the car, I recognized the words on the radio, and in that moment- blasting the music and thrilled to hear the song, I felt infinite.
2. Why Georgia- John Mayer
-"Feels like a quarter life crisis..." That line sums up my love for this song and John Mayer in general.
3. Six Pack Summer- Phil Vassar
- Every year as soon as the sun shines for the first time after a long winter, I play this song about 32 times in a row to get me excited for summer!
4. Chicago- Kate Voegele
- This song was on my best friend's MySpace (I know, MySpace) and after hearing it so many times from visiting her page, I came to love this song, and really respect the talent of Kate Voegele.
5. Oh- Eric Hutchinson
-CHECK HIM OUT! He is a lyrical genius. My friend in some of my classes went on spring break and came back with his CD from a street fair. She knew I liked Jason Mraz, burnt me a copy of this CD, I listened to it every single day Track 1-10 for 3 months straight. I had taken my friends out to a club in Pittsburgh to celebrate their birthdays, when on the wall I saw a picture of Eric, and found out he was playing a show at that club the following Monday night. I grabbed a friend and made the show just in time after my summer camp job. We were allowed upstairs as we were 21, and happened to stand behind a couple who turned around and said, "Do you want to meet Eric after the show?" Uh..YEAH!!! Turns out their son had gone to college and roomed with him, and we were lucky enough to sit down with him and BS/have drinks for 2 hours after the show. A-MAZING.
6. Only Wanna Be With You- Hootie & The Blowfish
-Hootie is good for the soul. Everyone loves Hootie. Seriously.
7. Party in the USA- Miley Cyrus
-Love her or hate her, it is undeniable that you don't feel totally American when this song comes on. I love being out in a club, the beat of this song comes on..and everyone screams and gets so excited. There's actually a version someone made called "Ed Hardy in the USA" ..it's hysterical.
8. Send Me on My Way- Rusted Root
- The theme song to Matilda. You just got excited.
9. NFL Theme Song
- This tune gets me so excited. As a die-hard Steeler fan, I feel a rush of excitement when I hear it.
10. AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
-This was played at all of our high school dances..it was like the theme song of our school.
11. All Star- Smashmouth
-This song was my life growing up with my cousin/best friend. We would dance and shout it at the top of our lungs. It bonded us.
-This song was my life growing up with my cousin/best friend. We would dance and shout it at the top of our lungs. It bonded us.
12. Live Those Songs- Kenny Chesney
-Don't we all want to go back in time to a place where we had so much fun. When we were infinite.
13. Red High Heels- Kellie Pickler
-My friend and I were at Saddle Ridge in Station Square. We had waited our whole lives I swear to go there..when we finally got there, we took control of the floor, and every cowboy in there watched as we danced to this song. It was a blast and we dance like crazy every time it comes on.
14. Walk It Out- DJ Unk
-My best friends from college were dancing and blasting music in my apartment one night, and this song came on. We walked it out and were having so much fun, when we looked over and our friend was asleep! In the midst of the noise, our laughter, and the blasting music, she had fallen asleep. We still make fun of her for it.
15. In the Ayer- Flo Rida
-My best friends from college live all over the place, so when we go on breaks we can't go out together. We made up a dance to this song, and the six of us always did it at school together. When I come home for summer breaks, I still do the dance alone when it comes on. It takes me back to a time when I had so much fun.
I could go on and on, but these song all make me feel infinite. It can be the smallest thing that triggers a memory. For me, some of these songs will take me back to my college days everytime I hear it. A time when I felt free, invincible, surrounded by the best friends, and on my own. I feel infinite when I hear these songs. Hope you enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to discovering some great music from you guys! Good luck with school, give it your best, but remember to live in the moment because it will be over before you know it. Make time to feel infinite.
