How you remind me...

Memories of res come flooding back...

I miss res. Most all of us who were there do. We miss the people, the lifestyle, almost everything. There were good times, there were not so good times, and there were downright amazing times. But we're past that, and have all moved on into our respective summers. However, the memories came flooding back to me today and I missed it all over again. And it all came through a song. I was listening to my music at work, and a few songs just invoked the strongest memories of life in res. I sat in my chair, trying to read documents, with the biggest grin on my face I've had in years.

Fastball - Over my Head, Leroy - Good Time, and Colin Hay - Overkill

This was one of the best memories I could have had. A Sunday morning some time in the second half of the year. Laying in bed, a little before noon, Sean throws on a few songs that had been getting a lot of play time in our room of late. These three must have looped for over an hour while we both tried to get out of bed but couldn't. The sun was shining, it was a Sunday, and we had nothing that needed to be done. It was bliss.

Yellowcard - View from Heaven (and others)

A weird memory, but this one just brought back such strong memories of standing in the middle of my room on a beautiful sunny day, curtains drawn, playing video games, probably on a Friday when Sean was still in class. Not that this was that unusual, but this song was linked so strongly. Now, every Yellowcard song I hear just brings back memories of res, since the California quartet received so much play time.

Ben Harper - Walk Away

Another excellent memory, but this time spread over a few key moments. As soon as I heard the first few notes of this one today, that grin just spread all over my face. Just remembering learning to play this song and practicing it whenever Sean's acoustic was sat around, then teaching myself a little bit more, then showing off to people whenever it happened to play while we had guests. Not that it was a difficult song to play, but I was proud that I'd managed to even learn that much, even if I did recieve a little help. This song had a long history with me before, but it's been totally superseded by then new ones. Probably one of my fondest musical-links to res.

Reel Big Fish & The Forces of Evil

So many times did we put some of this stuff on and just start skanking around the room. It's these silly little things that really stick with you. Two, three, sometimes four guys skanking around in a tight circle. Greatness.

Billy Talent - This is How it Goes, Hoobastank - Out of Control, Sum41 - Over my Head

These were the energy songs. Each one has a crazy amount of energy that always got us pumped up to go out somewhere, even if it was just to class. Jumping as the killer riffs came in or screaming the lyrics to the chorus, these ones never failed to get us going.

Flogging Molly - Salty Dog, Dropkick Murphy's - Irish Drinking Song

So much jigging. One of the last night's that we all went out before exams, jigging up on Sean's bed with a whole crowd packed into the stairwell room.

And this doesn't even cover half of the songs. There were so many from Something Corporate that meant so much, a list as long as my arm of Weezer songs that would bring it all back, then Dashboard, John Mayer, Alien Ant Farm, Danko Jones (the "unnoficial" Cadillac accoustic) and so many more.

So next time your going through your music collection, pick out a song that you haven't heard for a while. It may just remind you of memories that you didn't know that you'd lost.

I just hope that next year brings as many great songs,

Pete