We’ve all got to have some way of keeping track of the days, whether it be the calendar app on your phone or a physical journal, chronicling the days of your life is something I think is important.
Just before starting university in 2022, I decided to start my own journal in a bit of an untraditional way. Instead of writing out what I did each day, I selected one song I had listened to throughout the day and marked it down as my “song of the day”.
This meant every day had a soundtrack of its own, in the moment the song wouldn’t matter but weeks and months down the line those singular tracks held more memories than pen on paper ever could.
At the end of every day I would post the song on my Instagram story, and at the end of the month the individual songs would be compiled into one big monthly playlist.
Though the playlists all inevitably ended up a mess of genres, my 2022 – 2023 monthly playlists stand at the forefront of my memories of those times. Making Plans For Nigel by XTC reminds me of moving my belongings into my first flat, Youth Overrided by Cave In got me through the worst day I ever had whilst living in halls and Fathead by Jakey played on repeat during the cold November days.
My memories of these days are backdropped by these songs, I could easily tell you what I did each day by going through the individual tracks I chose to define them by.
Sure, writing in a journal would have been easier but my memories always come back to music, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Featured Image Credit: Megan Knight