Have you ever wondered what songs embody the buildings of our lovely university? Most would probably respond “No, I’ve never gotten bored enough to think about that.” Nevertheless, I have taken it upon myself to find a song that encapsulates all our favorite classroom and dorm buildings.
Earth Water Science Building - "Tried and True" by Ween
As much as I wanted to put the most popular Ween song, “Ocean Man”, in this spot, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it after the removal of the fish in the EWS hallway. I don’t care if the fish were just there for a lab; I miss them dearly. EWS is a little less nautical without them. The second most popular Ween song, “Tried and True” still reminds me of the narrow main hallway. Lined with murals and constantly filled to the brim with students in between classes, it’s hectic and uncertain at times, yet still feels like home to an environmental science student like me
Thomas Cooper Library Mezzanine - "Don’t Know Why" by Norah Jones
The Mezzanine is the closest this campus will ever get to an early 2000s Panera Bread or Barnes and Noble Cafe. It is always warm, sometimes cozy and the preferred place to study for many students. Norah Jones is the epitome of this vibe which the Thomas Cooper Mezzanine embodies so well. It just makes you want a warm bread bowl or cup of coffee.
Humanities Classroom Building - "Кончится лето" by Kino
Built in 1968 to house the humanities department, the Humanities Classroom Building and the surrounding area as a whole has a very different feeling to me. These buildings are a mixture of brutalist and modernist architecture which consistently reminds me of Kino, the Soviet band hailing from the region where these architecture styles were popularized. Fun fact: the Humanities Classroom Building was designed by the same group that also designed Thomas Cooper Library and South Tower!
The Horseshoe - "Campus" by Vampire Weekend
Before cracking Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", Vampire Weekend's self-titled album was played live regularly at battles of the bands and campus events at Columbia University, where the founding members met while attending college there in 2005. The early years of Vampire Weekend's discography are centered in the preppy college lifestyle, of which a university's campus is a major contributor. Nowhere on campus evokes the feeling of a preppy college lifestyle more than the Horseshoe.
South Caroliniana Library - Silence
No song, no album, just silence. It's so silent, you can hear the blood flowing through your veins. Yet for some, this is enough; maybe it’s what’s necessary to get some good studying done. This goes for the first floor of Thomas Cooper Library as well. If this is for you, more power to you. Personally, I’ll stick with music while walking around campus.