Every Northwood high schooler goes through several experiences that are universal or almost so to all T-wolves. For me, I always had a song to pair with the moment.
Anchor:
Starting strong, we have the anchor. A long, tedious essay every underclassman must endure during both semesters. From annotating the documents to crafting our outlines and keeping the materials safe in manila folders, the anchor has been a source of burnout for many T-wolves. To combat this, I would listen to “Face Off” by Tech N9ne. Listening to Dwayne Johnson’s voice on repeat, I would create my theme statements about imperialism and “Things Fall Apart”.
Your best friend blocking you on a random Tuesday:
This one definitely stung a lot. The moment I opened Instagram, I was slammed in the face with a “User Not Found.” From talking nearly every day to nothing. The worst part of this experience is that you gotta go on with your day, even if it is taking your biology test paired with your timed essay on “The Namesake.” Then the friendship leaves you thinking for weeks about what you did wrong. For this, I listened to the King of Doom and Despair, aka Jeff Buckley, and his amazing creation “Forget Her.”
The sudden realization on a Sunday evening that you have school:
Genuinely, one of the worst feelings ever. Especially if you were relaxing and having a good evening. The impending doom of the cycle of waking up at 6 a.m. to the sound of “By the Seaside” and the mundane routine does not stop until Friday. I would describe this experience with the song Roblox horror music.
Sophomore slump and senioritis:
As the end of the year approaches, everyone gets burnt out with the overwhelming amount of projects, tests and papers that are due. With the promise of summer break on the way, students often face a serious disease where their motivation for schoolwork declines. I myself have been a victim of this, whether it was in my sophomore or senior year. A song that perfectly captures this experience is “Lush Life” by Zara Larsson.
School ending and you’re leaving everything behind:
High school ending is a very bittersweet feeling. I will miss my friends and certain teachers; however, I am relieved that this is a chapter I am closing in my life. High school has genuinely been one of the toughest periods of my life, navigating being an awkward teenager, making friends and overcoming perfectionism. College would be a change, but a good one. “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac would be the song for how I am feeling.
