St. Vincent DeJamz: Songs reminding DePaulia grads of freshman year

As the end of the school year approaches, The DePaulia’s graduating staff members are quickly getting all of the feels. To reminisce on their time in college, the graduates chose songs that reminded them of their freshman year.

1. Kanye West — “Homecoming”

I remember the first thought I had after moving into my dorm freshman year, after my parents left, was walking outside and realizing that for the first time in my life I was on my own. It was a relieving, freeing feeling. I never thought I would get homesick.

Of course by November, I was missing my hometown of St. Louis and my friends and family something fierce. I bumped this song on the Megabus back home and nearly cried. Yeezy taught me to love coming home.

— Andrew Morrel, Multimedia Editor

2. Drake — “The Motto”

Embarrassingly, freshman year wouldn’t have been what it was without the YOLO motto the former Degrassi actor-turned-rapper preached. Almost every social gathering I went to at 18 years of age blasted this on repeat.

Even if I wanted to resist the power of YOLO, I couldn’t then (and still can’t now, honestly). Thanks, Drake, for popularizing the millennial spin on “carpe diem.”

— Summer Concepcion, Online Editor

3. Noah & The Whale — “5 Years Time”

While still trying to adapt to life as a transfer student and reacquainting my bones with miserable Chicago winters, this song kept my sights focused on the spring and summer months. Looking back on it now this song brings back some meaningful memories of new friends, new experiences and good times at DePaul.

Aside from all the uncertainty and unanswered questions that await me in just a couple of weeks, Noah & The Whale has me focused on the good vibes because, “Oh well in five years time we could be walking around a zoo with the sun shining down over me and you.”

— Parker Asmann, Assistant Sports Editor

4. Little Dragon — “Feather”

I like to pretend that I am a cold-hearted person. For those who truly know me, this is clearly not the case, as evidenced by the amount of times I have told my friends in a group chat that I have cried to songs, music videos, television, movies, when eating pizza, when eating cookies or candy, when walking to class, etc. Essentially, I cry a lot and this song may or may not be responsible for my tears.

Two of my friends had a radio show my freshman year and one night they played this song and the rest is history. I have listened to it at least once every day for the last four years, and every time I hear it I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to have known all of the people I have known and how much I’m going to miss being a student. I’m rarely a soft and squishy person in public but these last few weeks at DePaul have really made me sappy and I’m just really emotional right now but I really love this song.

— Max Kleiner, Design Editor

5. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros — “Home”

Freshman year was a sad time. I went through a dumb breakup that made me feel dumb things and I missed home a lot (which eventually led me to transferring to DePaul from NYU, becoming the Arts & Life editor and co-creating DeJamz, so you’re welome everyone).

So, naturally I just listened to “Home” all the time and it made me feel worse about myself, the natural thing you do when you’re already sad. Evidently this song is a happy one for most other people, which is weird for me, but I can’t hear it without thinking of those sad times in my dorm room on fall nights.

— Courtney Jacquin, Editor-in-Chief

6. Death Cab for Cutie — “Marching Bands of Manhattan”

At my freshman orientation, Managing Editor Matt Paras made fun of me for saying “Plans” was my favorite Death Cab album. This set the tone for the rest of my freshman year, which I spent crying over having no friends and being homesick. Four years later, I have friends and have gotten my revenge on Matt, but this song will always remind me of the saddest year of my life.

— Erin Yarnall, Focus Editor