Music is an integral part of most teenagers lives. Students listen to music on the way to class, with friends, and while doing homework.
There are many benefits to listening to music for teenagers and students. According to a 2013 study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), music decreases stress and effectively reduces anxiety before daunting events such as surgery.
Playlist Club allows students to relax before class and provides a comfortable environment to share music and hang out with friends.
Many clubs at Carlmont are focused on academics, which can be useful, but many students forget about the importance of relaxation.
Isabella Peterson, a freshman and co-president of Playlist Club, started the club because she saw a lack of casual clubs.
“We started this club because we were looking through the different clubs and realized that there weren’t any clubs where you could just hang out and share music,” Peterson said.
Playlist Club is an inclusive club for anyone who enjoys music.
“There are a lot of clubs at school where you need to have certain requirements, but you don’t need to be anything specific to be in our club,” Peterson said.
Besides the club providing stress relief and relaxation for all students, Playlist Club is just a fun space to share favorite songs and be introduced to new styles of music.
“I wanted to start this club because I love sharing music and learning about new music,” said Tori Balsam-Ashling, a freshman and co-president of Playlist Club.
The club meets at lunch in S22 every other Wednesday. Every meeting is very laid back and relaxed.
A typical meeting at Playlist Club consists of club members sharing new songs or some of their favorite music.
“Right now we are listening to alternative music but we usually have a theme each meeting,” said Balsam-Ashling.
The club’s music typically depends on what club members are listening to.
“[The music] all depends on the season. We let the people who are at each meeting tell us what music they want to listen to and we add that to a list for that day,” said Peterson.
Each month, Peterson and Balsam-Ashling organize a combined playlist of songs that the club listened to.
“We choose the theme for the playlist of the month, but at each meeting, the members decide what is played,” Peterson said.
While Playlist Club provides a fun pastime for lunch and allows students to de-stress, it also allows students to share a similar passion and provides an inclusive space to do so.
“You can be anyone from anywhere and listen to any type of music, and you can join our club,” Peterson said.
If you are interested in a playlist from the club, click below: