Imagine yourself at the end of the day sinking into the comfort of your own bed.  You put your earbuds in to shut the world off, the music starts to play and everything finally feels okay. You can feel it, every beat, every lyric, you’re focused and lost in your mind. You forget about everything going on in the world right now and you finally can escape and feel your chest rise and fall with every breath. That is the power of music. 

Throughout the utter chaos of an unexpected pandemic, many have found their safe havens- if you will- or ways to cope, whether that be through trying out new recipes, learning a new hobby, or just sleeping all day. Students at GCHS explained how coping with music assisted them. 

Connor Dias, a senior at Great Crossing High School stated “Music has always been a big part of my life, it has always helped me concentrate and clear my head, and throughout the pandemic it has really helped me find my rhythm both literally and mentally. Without it I’m not sure I’d be able to handle my life right now.” 

Many individuals had to work to focus on maintaining good mental health during such a tough time. Alyvia Gray, a senior at Great Crossing stated, “Music was healing for me, it kept me distracted.” Music served as a distractor for many students, to elevate the mind into a world that seemed “safe.” Within the craziness of a pandemic, students are stressed, panicking, and at a loss of normalcy. Music has the ability to bring a person back to their safe place through familiarity.

During the pandemic, a lot of us felt alone, looking for answers to a never before had experience, because what do you do when there’s a pandemic? Music gave peace to people, it’s something that feels familiar, one thing that didn’t change. Dias stated “music allows me to express myself, and I have always enjoyed listening to other people’s music to hear what they have to say. I owe a lot of my progress mentally and physically due to the power of music.”