Tons of unchecked items on your to-do list, deadlines after deadlines, and back-to-back synchronous classes—look, we've all been there. There really comes a time when all things seem to overwhelm us as if life is trying to push us to our limits. Online classes sometimes feel twice as stressful than when we had face-to-face classes. AAAAHH! 😱

But hey, listen, just because things are overwhelming doesn't mean we can't do anything to feel better! Some of us like to sleep or maybe eat a few cups of ice cream (no judgments here) but what most of us would do is to put in our earphones, silence the world, and turn up the music. So, here's a playlist we made for you to help you when you're #Stressedt! 😫

1. Who You Are by Jessie J

"Who You Are" is a song that tells us things are gonna be okay—no matter how overwhelming they get. As students, we usually feel pressured to look a certain way or be someone who we're not: be the top student, be one of the cool kids, or be the student who's a member of at least 5 student organizations. But, the reality is that not every one of us can be either or all of those things, and Jessie J tells us it's okay because "there's nothing wrong with who you are."

Just remember, whatever happens, "it's okay not to be okay." 🤗

2. Ako Naman Muna by Angela Ken

What started out as a song shared on TikTok became one of the most inspirational songs of this generation. Angela Ken's "Ako Naman Muna" literally tells us that, with all that's happening around us, we should take a moment to stop and attend to ourselves. Our problems will never end, that's for sure. The older we get, the more responsibilities we will have and, thus, more problems to solve. But what's important is that we keep ourselves grounded and find that inner peace—that we are capable enough to find solutions and that we are not alone in our battles. We have our friends, family, and even strangers who will help us along the way.

In the words of Angela Ken, "Oo, pagod ka na, pero 'di ka nag-iisa kaya't lumaban ka at sabihing 'ako naman muna.'"

3. Rainbow by Kacey Musgraves

Country singer Kacey Musgraves tells us in her song "Rainbow" that there's really no reason to worry about things because we are strong enough to fend off the rain—whatever that rain may be for all of us. In her words, "let go of your umbrella…I'm just tryin' to tell 'ya that there's always been a rainbow hanging over your head." Let go of your anxieties and worries! You're more capable than you give yourself credit for.

4. Soldier by Trixie Mattel

Drag queens aren't just here to serve lewks or make us laugh. Sometimes, they're here to remind us that, like them, we're humans, too. Trixie Mattel's "Soldier" tells us to take things easy and it's okay if we slip up. We're sometimes compelled to strive for perfection, even if no one is really perfect. This leads to us thinking we're worthless if we commit a mistake, and that we're only worthy if we're perfect. But this shouldn't be the case! In Trixie's words, "Soldier, take your time, no one said the words all have to rhyme and if they do it's fine, and even if they don't, no one needs to know. Soldier, you gotta let things go."

5. Try by P!NK

We're no strangers to the feeling of burn out. With the onset of the online classes, we sometimes feel we lost the spark and the joy in doing the things we once enjoyed. "Try" by P!NK tells us that burnout is a normal phenomenon and that it's okay for us to get tired of the things that we once loved. We can always pick ourselves up and try again, maybe even see things with fresh eyes and fall in love all over again. In her words, "where there is desire, there is gonna be a flame. Where there is a flame, someone's bound to get burnt, but just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die. You gotta get up and try."

6. Rise Up by Andra Day

Whenever you feel like the world is spiraling down to a repetitive mess, Andra Day is here to pull us out and remind us of who we are: fighters. "Rise Up" is one of those songs that not only pushes us to look at brighter days ahead, but also makes us remember the strength that we may have forgotten we possess. Many have tried and lauded the song for its challenging riffs and breath-taking high notes, but the song offers wisdom that we need when we are at our lowest. "We'll rise up high like the waves, we'll rise up in spite of the ache, we'll rise up and we'll do it a thousand times again."

7. Brave by Sara Bareilles

The genius of Sara Bareilles remains unmatched. In her hit song "Brave," Sara Bareilles gives us the freedom to express ourselves and be brave. Whenever we are stressed, sometimes we just need someone who will tell us that it's okay to feel what we're feeling, to accept that we're getting tired, and take the time off to rest. That is exactly what this song is telling us. There's no reason for us to deny or even gaslight ourselves with what we're feeling. Being brave doesn't mean we are always on our 101% and ready to fight. Being brave sometimes means accepting that, as humans, we get tired and need rest—and that's okay!

8. Fight Song by Rachel Platten

Last, but not the least, "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten is just the perfect anthem to cap off this playlist. This song combines the meaningful lyrics with a melody that invites us to just stand up and dance like nobody's watching! This song just gives us that fuel that reignites the fire within us to continue fighting and to get ourselves back on track. Because, hey, sometimes life just gets the best of us, but that doesn't mean we're giving up! In her words, "I still got a lot of fight left in me."

Want to save and listen to this playlist on repeat? Don't worry, we gotchu! Check this playlist on Spotify and continue fighting, besties! 💪

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68rqYrTy1quXn3NliftgJb?si=3190d74c6b234882