Mostly graduating from their respective high schools in 2024, the incoming freshman class of 2028 have a lot to look forward to here at Oakland University: the welcome week events, starting up new and exciting classes, joining clubs that appeal to their own unique interests and most importantly — in my opinion at least — experiencing the extravagant and blossoming arts culture on campus.
From art galleries, to the Meadow Brook Theatre and Amphitheatre, to the School of Music, Theatre and Dance’s shows and much, much more, there’s a lot to be excited about if you are a first-year at OU that loves art.
What if you’re not an art student though? How would we know if our first-year student body is engaged with art as a whole? Even if it is not campus related, I asked a few freshmen what their favorite songs were currently and w
hat their favorite music of all time is.
Some first-year students, like Cullen Black and Matthew Vigelius, have indie music atop their best of all time list.
“‘Helplessness Blues’ by Fleet Foxes easily. That is just a landmark album in my life — I think it is one of the best pieces of music ever created,” Black said.
While Vigelius likes indie, he is really into one band in particular.
“I’m really into Wallows — favorite song by them is probably gonna be ‘Remember When’ or ‘Treacherous Doctor,’” Vigelius said. “I think [my favorite] is the album, ‘Remember When,’ like the one that went with the song.”
Another student, who I interviewed at the OU Student Congress event Beats and Eats on Sep. 3, was a big fan of indie music, but also something that not a lot of people listen to.
“I just listen to Mitski a lot,” first-generation OU freshman, Losin Balderas-Rivera said. “I’m gonna be real — I’m not typical — I listen to video game soundtracks, I go back to ‘Fire Emblem’ soundtracks more than anything.”
Speaking of unique, Madison Kinser was the only freshman I interviewed who gave metal music as their answer. Her favorite band of all time is Bad Omens, but her music obsession right now is “Divine Retribution” by Kim Dracula.
There even is some love for some mainstream artists with the group of first-years that I interviewed. Lex Howard and Cullen Black both are fans of mainstream rap.
“My favorite recent song would probably be ‘Everyday Hustle’ by Future and Metro Boomin featuring Rick Ross,” Black said.
Howard, who spoke to me at OUSC’s Beats and Eats in the middle of a lively crowd of freshman, said that they enjoy the country-rap artist Shaboozey.
When asked what their favorite song by them was, Howard’s reply was, “That’d have to be ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ by Shaboozey, me and my grandma love that song.”
Overall, from the small sample that I took, it seems as though the freshman class’s music taste is far more diverse than one would expect — ranging from video game OSTs, to hip-hop, indie, country and metal. To whichever first-year student at OU is reading this article: based on your guys’ music taste I think you guys will love it here.
Student bodies always come and go, but music lasts forever.
