It’s back-to-school season and we’re finally back on campus! Whether it’s your first time coming to campus or you’re just coming back home, we have the playlist for you! 

Everything Bagels at CoGro 

There really is nothing better than ordering yourself an exam-sized coffee and finding some prime real estate to have a bit of alone time for you and your notes. Located on the second floor of the ARC, Common Ground is a student-run coffee shop that has fueled my caffeine addiction since my first year. This spot has the most authentic vibe that I have yet to encounter in any other Queen’s building. Simply put, it makes you feel at home no matter how stressed out you may be. In e the heart of campus, away from the chaos of classrooms, we sought to make a playlist that allows time to slow down so that you can enjoy your latte in peace. This playlist is best served with fully charged AirPods and a quickly depleting flex dollar balance. 

Crying in Stauffer 

You’re sitting in the corner of Stauffer, it’s one am, you’re 700 words into your 2000 words essay, the ONQ deadline alert is going off. Life isn’t going well, and you are in need of a good sob. The rickety old chairs, study booths, and warm yellow lighting set the scene perfectly for your crying session. This playlist is perfect for those study cries when the tears just can’t stay down. So have a nice little sip of your melted iced capp, put your earbuds in, grab a pack of tissues and just let it out. Ps: don’t be embarrassed! Everyone’s had a good cry session in Stauffer. A little tip, the best place to cry is in the basement. 

Sunset at the Pier 

Although the pier may be closed, for now, it’s hard to resist laying a blanket down at Breakwater Park to watch the sunset over the windmills of Wolfe Island. This playlist is perfect for rooftop or lake-side relaxation on chilly Kingston nights. Filled with carefully curated indie, soul, and R&B tracks, this selection of tunes is guaranteed to bring your heart rate down and soothe your mind. So wrap yourself up in that blanket, grab your friends, and cozy up to this playlist as you watch daylight break.

Metro Runs 

Did you know that Metro’s Kingston location is the most expensive in Ontario? Sorry to break the news…but to ease the pain, here is a playlist that is perfect for your hectic Metro runs. There is no need to carry a grocery list when you have this compilation of songs about food, drinks, and anything remotely edible. Since the inception of music, artists have come up with compositions that have food in their song titles. For instance, take a look at Doris Day's 1945 track, “Tacos, Enchiladas, and Beans”. Now, flash forward to DRAM and Lil’ Yachty’s hit, “Brocolli”. They say not to shop while hungry, but this playlist may have the opposite effect. Please enjoy this all-you-can-eat music experience and hopefully, it doesn’t fill you up before you check out! FYI: Queen's students get a 10% discount on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Not sponsored (unfortunately). 

Your 10:30 Is Actually An 8:30 

This playlist is for when you’re sprinting down University Ave with a Co-gro bagel in hand, trying to get to class and Google Maps says that you’re not going to make it. The one thing to note is that the map's estimated time is a lie. You can make it, you can sprint, it’s okay! This is the perfect pump-up playlist for when you need to make those steps count, to close those fitness rings on your phone, and to just ignore the world around you. The morning class sprints are the best workouts and make you feel on top of the world when you finally make it to the auditorium on time.

U&U Scramble 

This one’s for that Friday feeling when you’ve finished the day and are headed back home to shower off your endless week of school. A unique part of the Queen’s experience is the proximity of campus and the student living area, which gives the sense that the minute class is over the good times have already begun. Similar to the U & U Scramble, we wanted this playlist to create the same beautiful mayhem of navigating the mass exodus of students headed in every direction except class. Enjoy these tunes while you speed walk home on a Friday, or any other day that you may need that extra motivation to rally.

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