Andrew Stanger, a sophomore at Weber State University, listens to music on his headphones every day, just about everywhere he goes around campus. He mainly listens to rock and metal, but he said he listens to a lot of different bands.
Stanger is not alone. Around the WSU campus, many students can be seen with headphones. Music is often played over sound systems for events inside the Shepherd Union Building.
Thomas Judd, a junior at WSU and the WSU Student Association programming director over events and activities, said a variety of music gets played around campus.
“A lot of (the) time, it really just depends on the event,” Judd said. “We like a lot of throwback stuff from the ’90s and early 2000s, like stuff that, when we were in middle school or high school, you were like, ‘Oh, that’s so awesome!’ But also, we like to try to stay with DJs who know how to work the crowd, whether it’s the range from the Top 40 that’s current right now and mixing it with a lot of dubstep, electronic — that’s really hot right now, so kind of mixing that classic with the modern twist.”
Judd said the reason music is played around campus is for students to have fun outside of class.
“The ultimate goal really is to just have a good time,” Judd said. “Right now we are planning for our ’80s Neon Party that is happening in January. We’re trying to talk with our DJ to get classic ’80s music, the awesome feel-good stuff, but also try to have some, like, breakdowns with it that will make the night go hard, like mix some techno in with it. Ultimately, the goal is just to have everyone feel good and have a good time and have everyone dance.”
Daniel Hale, a freshman at WSU, said he doesn’t usually notice the music being played around campus, but that this is probably because he usually is listening to his own music on his headphones. He listens to music around campus when he is waiting for the shuttle, waiting for classes to start and when he is studying math in The Hub. He said he doesn’t find music distracting while he is studying. He listens to music on his iPhone for entertainment “just because I’m bored.” He said he usually listens to rock music like Linkin Park and Nickelback.
Sometimes students, like Stanger, just listen to music to distract themselves from their school day.
“Mostly I listen to it on the way to school, between classes and on my way home, because I ride the bus,” Stanger said. He said he likes listening to music on the shuttle because it distracts him and makes him feel more comfortable because “it’s kind of like everyone is playing the awkward game of ‘don’t look at each other and don’t speak.’”
