Imagine carrying a cinder block labeled “common problems” everywhere. Pretty difficult, right? Now stack a block labeled “school” on top of it, then another labeled “social life”, and one more as “future”. It’s nearly impossible to move; unlikely to be thinking about anything besides the weight you’re holding. This is the usual mindset of a high school student. Of course, we try not to think about everything at once, in order to prevent a stress-induced breakdown on a weekly basis. This generation of high school students has thought of ways to combat this everyday pressure.

The girls at Academy of the Holy Names often watch movies, retreat into social media, or eat as much as possible to tune out life’s stressors. Another common escape is found in the many genres of music available anytime, anywhere. However, listening to the same top hits playlist can get tiring after a while and loses its “escape” effect. Lyrics lose meaning and beats lose empathy. The heartfelt songs become just songs rather than a release from stress.

Instead of browsing through your own personal playlist, websites such as Stereo Mood are made to reflect your emotions. Upon entering the site, a search bar with the pre-entered words “I feel…” sits center screen. It encourages you to describe your current emotional state with an adjective or situation such as “I feel inspired” or “I feel like I’m just waking up”. Stereo Mood constructs a playlists based on the feeling certain beats of songs give off, and what situations they fit into.

Need some background noise while tackling a tough essay? The homework tag is a click away. Want to drift off to some mellow notes? The sleepy tag has what you need. For whatever emotional roller coaster happening in your head, Stereo Mood has a beat to match. Music is a form of release for the high school generation. It is a way to put the world on pause.