Lyrics from “A Burning Hill” by Mitski. As the school year gets more busy and stressful here’s a reminder to appreciate the littler things in life.
Author: thimai
Thi Mai is a junior majoring in biology, health & society. They love making digital art and comics, and want to start expanding into animation. This semester, they are working towards completing an animated short film. Check out "Frame by Frame" every Sunday night for progress updates and reflection on the process! You can find more of their work on their Tumblr blog: https://cherryysocks.tumblr.com/
Academia Jukebox: Streetcar
I decided to try something a little different from my usual comic format with this post. Streetcar is one of my favorite Daniel Caesar songs, it’s a beautiful rendition of Kanye’s Street Lights, reminiscing about passing time. The mix of vocals and lyrics puts such an aesthetic image in my mind of late night city drives (which I tried to illustrate). At the end of my first year at university I relate a lot to the idea of slowly making your way to an ultimate goal. Though I might not know my exact destination I’m certainly on my way and looking forward to where life takes me!
Academia Jukebox: Jack’s Song
Jack’s Song (or 16/04/16) by Cavetown is a beautiful tribute to the singer/song-writer’s childhood friend. As our first school year back in person comes to an end, it’s a great time to appreciate the new friends we’ve made and those we’ve been able to connect with over these two semesters. After having the experience of online learning, I know I definitely value studying with people in person more than I did before. Again, good luck with exams and make sure to hug all your friends! More of Cavetown here
Academia Jukebox: Art School Wannabe
This week’s lyrics are from the first verse of Sorority Noise’s Art School Wannabe. Though the song is actually about the artist coming to terms with the fact that he might not be (or no longer is) the dark/unhappy person characterized by his music, I think the first couple lyrics are pretty relatable to many as we enter exam season. Here’s a reminder to take care of yourself while during this time of year and good luck to everyone! Link to check out Sorority Noise here.
Academia Jukebox: Vacation
The song Vacation by the indie folk band Florist is full of nostalgia for childhood and sadness for how our image of the world changes. I think a lot of people relate to having these big dreams when we’re kids, but as we grow up we realize that’s not what we really want to do or be. Sometimes we can feel trapped in our dreams, like we have a responsibility to follow up on what we’ve wanted our whole lives. But as Florist points out, dreams change and so do our ideas of what a meaningful life is. Like a lot of the lyrics that I talk about here, I think a key takeaway is being okay with change and uncertain futures. Florist is a great indie artist if you’re into folk music, you can check out their Spotify here.
Academia Jukebox: Garden Song
Phoebe Bridgers is one of my all time favorite artists. Though her music may be about a specific event or situation, the emotions she sings about are universal. I personally interpret Garden Song, the second track on her most recent album “Punisher”, as the changes in our lives and in ourselves as we grow up. Noticing how much I’ve grown up always comes as a shock to me. I was (and still am) nervous about becoming an adult and all the responsibilities that come with it. But when I take a second to acknowledge my growth, or see myself from an outside perspective, I have to admit I’m making progress. Though other people might not know about the fears you had getting here, recognizing that you’re growing well can put some of your anxiety at about the future at ease. Or at least, it does for me. Definitely listen to Bridgers’ “Punisher” if you haven’t before, it’s a work of art!
