INHAILER's Back to School Playlist

Whether it's your first day of high school, heading back to college, or working towards your master's, school is officially back in session. Tis' the season of mourning the summertime and trading bar tabs (for now) in for textbook bills. Although the scholastic stress is near, the change in seasons also brings new experiences, opportunities, and memories to be had. Here's some music to bring on the nostalgia, and gear you up for the start of the new season.

1. The Ramones- Rock 'n' Roll High School

The Ramones clearly took a very lax approach to education. No surprise there coming from some of the first "bad boys" of rock 'n' roll. We can blame them for the curse of what a bad boy in a leather jacket can do to a girl. With lyrics such as "I just want to have some kicks, I just want to get some chicks," I think it's safe to assume they are to blame for spiking the punch at homecoming.

2. Vampire Weekend- Campus

"How am I supposed to pretend, I never want to see you again"? We have all had romantic misfortunes in college that left us feeling exactly this way. I can recall those exact moments with a guy I had two, FOUR HOUR long studios with. Although between you and me, I am totally fine with never seeing him again.

3. Pink Floyd- Another Brick in the Wall

This song is clearly very anti-establishment (and a little melodramatic if you ask me) but it also does a fantastic job of conveying a feeling of imprisonment, which I definitely felt in every single math class over the course of my life.

4. The Kinks- Education

Simply and eloquently said, "everybody needs an education."

5. The Beach Boys- Be True to Your School

I never pass up the opportunity to include the Beach Boys on a playlist. If I had to put all of my enthusiasm into one song about school this would be it.

6. Kool & the Gang- Celebration

This is an ode to all of my St. Joseph Cavalier alumni out there. I went to St. Joseph School, home of the Cavaliers for the duration of my middle school and junior high years. Every Friday, we aired a new episode of "The Cavs Show," which was basically the Tonight Show at 1:00 p.m. for grades 1-8. It was actually pretty hilarious, and it didn't hurt that it cut your last class by 30 minutes. Each episode ended with "celebration," playing as the end credits. It got us all very hype for the weekend.

7. Neil Diamond- Sweet Caroline

This serves as a disclaimer to be heard at every football game and fraternity party you will experience in college.

8. Asher Roth- I Love College

I really didn't want to have to include this song, yet I felt like I had to give into the cliche. "Time isn't wasted when you're getting wasted." Pure poetry.

9. Death Cab for Cutie- We Looked Like Giants

This is honestly such an underrated Death Cab song. This is all about first love and the first experiences that come along with that, and the rebirth of each school year has so much to do with finding those who give you those experiences.

10. Kanye West- School Spirit

College Dropout in my opinion is one of the best Kanye albums, but hopefully you all feel a bit better about returning to school.

11. Hall & Oates- Adult Education

Hall & Oates pretty much reaffirm in this song that the good guys in high school should absolutely never finish last.

12. Steve Nicks- Edge of Seventeen

I absolutely wish I would have approached high school with a Steve Nicks esque confidence. This song also very much reminds me of School of Rock which is undeniably an educational experience.

13. Third Eye Blind- Graduate

There were several nights before graduating where I would blare this song during sleepless nights at 3 a.m. in the print making studio on campus. Very angsty of me.

14. Relient K- College Kids

I can absolutely say I would never sell my text books (or anything I own) for Dave Matthews Band tickets. Piece of advice: don't approach college like Relient K.

15. The Killers- Mr. Brightside

A ridiculously overplayed song at all college parties and events to which I can still give a stamp of approval!