It all started before my junior year in high school. Visiting my cousin on Cape Cod, I found myself in the woods with him and his friends, nursing a disgustingly warm beer and gathered around a white jeep. “Always” by Bon Jovi came on the radio and all the boys huddled together in a circle and started singing at the top of their lungs. It was that night I discovered the magic of a drunken sing-along. Below are a few songs that have become an essential part of my life at college.
“Living On a Prayer” – Bon Jovi
The epitome of a freshman year bar experience. Bon Jovi’s “Prayer” is an 80s classic that drunkards cannot seem to resist (just ask anyone who frequently attends a karaoke bar). With a catchy chorus that screams for hair spray and tight leather pants, this song will live on for decades to come.
“To Be With You” – Mr. Big
The ultimate chick song. When we were sophomores, my friends and I were at a party and started singing this together, linking arms and swaying. Everyone else thought we were nuts, but I feel it was a defining moment of our friendship. Who can resist a boy who is “waiting on a line of greens and blues?”
“Since U Been Gone” – Kelly Clarkson
Here’s the thing: this song is loved by all, even if the guys don’t want to admit it. Clarkson’s poppy, yet definitive, voice is perfect for the drunk sing-along, especially for the girl who wants to declare independence from the boy across the bar who never called back. It is often played on repeat and must be accompanied by the fist-pump. Beware of the urge to jump along to the chorus; beer and flailing limbs are never a good combination.
“Don’t Stop Believin'” – Journey
This Journey staple goes “on and on and on and on.” The song also takes on a more desperate tone as seniors search for jobs after graduation.
“Drop It Like It’s Hot” – Snoop Dogg
You can’t go wrong when a rap mastermind teams up with one of the best hip-hop producers today. With a few tongue clicks, Snoop and Pharrell can convince any college student to both “park it” and “pop it” like it’s hot. Please keep in mind that I am also a girl who bought the “Rhythm ‘ Gangsta” CD for approximately $30 while studying abroad in Galway, Ireland. And don’t forget to bring your green hat.
“It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” – Celine Dion
On my birthday, I ended up back in my bedroom with about 10 friends screaming along to this timeless classic. I actually lost my voice. The fact that the cops came and threatened us with arrest has not prevented my friends from crowding into my room and singing along to this song literally every weekend since then.
Our neighbors may hate us, but traditions like this will make me smile years from now when I am sitting in a cubicle and eating lunch out of a paper bag.
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