{"id":58,"date":"2024-11-12T13:22:30","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T18:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/msp3196f2024\/?p=58"},"modified":"2024-11-14T13:04:52","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T18:04:52","slug":"strawberry-fields-and-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/msp3196f2024\/2024\/11\/12\/strawberry-fields-and-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Strawberry Fields and Me"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written By: Angeni Peters <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A photo of me and my siblings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From left to right: me, my brother: Alex, and my sister: Ava <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first time I truly heard music, I was in the backseat of my parents’ car, strapped into a booster seat as we drove to visit family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 It was one of those long road trips that had become a regular part of my childhood, a time when the road of passing scenery blurred into one. I was about five years old, and my attention was divided between the conversation between my mom and dad and my insignificant thoughts that popped up as I stared out my window.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My dad reached over to the stereo, cranking the volume just loud enough to drown out his own singing, Strawberry Fields Forever<\/em> by The Beatles<\/a> rang through the speakers, and we all started to sing along. Little did I know, in that very moment, that my relationship with music would begin its slow but steady evolution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music has always been a part of my childhood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My dad spent his late teens and early 20s dabbling in music; spinning records and pursuing a drum and bass career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My parents, being driven to music in their own way, made it a point to introduce us to the classics early on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I appreciated their taste in music, it wasn\u2019t something I ever took notice of. That is until I was in the back seat humming my favorite part of my favorite Beatles song. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I knew in that moment that I would grow up and grow apart from my siblings and parents and I would look back on this moment and reminisce about us being together and sharing such a simplistic moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, I realize that the music we were raised on linked us to each other and eventually facilitated relationships and memories throughout my young adult life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From that point on, music quietly accompanied the stories of my childhood and continued to do so through my teen years, and into adulthood, like a soundtrack to a movie I didn\u2019t know I was starring in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 As I grew older, music would become more than just background noise on a road trip\u2014it became a way for me to understand the world, a way for me to connect to others, and a way to process the changes that were happening within me. Strawberry Fields Forever<\/em> was just the first of many songs that came to define the memories I have made up until this point.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a child, I didn\u2019t yet understand the significance of Strawberry Fields Forever, <\/em>nor did I realize that it would be a song that represented the loss of innocence and a yearning desire to return to simpler times.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I grew older, I started to seek out music on my own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time I reached middle school, my parents\u2019 musical tastes began to feel outdated, and I longed to discover my own sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In finding my own sound, <\/em>I fell in line with the sensationalism of pop culture music. In listening to the early 2000s classics, I hoped for acceptance<\/em> from my peers\u2014listening to artists that were deemed cool<\/em> for my age, rather than what was enjoyable.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 As I began to grow and mature, I realized (like most times) my parents were right. The pop music I spent the better half of the last 5 years listening to really wasn\u2019t all that great.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The branch between my pre-teen and teenage years would be defined by The Lumineers.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slowly, I began to care less about fitting in and instead, found myself leaning back into the music that brought familiarity and nostalgic childhood memories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While The Lumineers defined my transition in growth and maturity, the song Angela<\/a> by The Lumineers facilitated long-lasting relationships and friendships.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From romantic relationships to friendships, music seemed to bridge the gaps between me and the people around me.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artists like The Lumineers, and others like; The Beatles<\/a>, Foster the People<\/a>, and Caamp<\/a> were common ground. Through these connections initiated by music, I was able to expand to new artists and genres of music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

New music and artists like TV Girl<\/a>, Microwave<\/a>, The Antlers<\/a>, Mac Demarco<\/a>, Red Hot Chili Peppers<\/a>, Two Door Cinema Club,<\/a> Active Bird Community,<\/a> and so much more, gave me a new understanding of music and its meaning to others.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a teenager, music became more than just a connection to my family; it became a form of self-expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I continued to move through my early years of high school, exploring new genres and artists in the world of music, the memory of first hearing the song Strawberry Fields Forever<\/em>, stayed in the back of my mind, naive to the fact that Strawberry Fields Forever<\/em> would not be the only song to hold the unique power to transcend me into a time and place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started making playlists that reflected specific moments or vibes. The songs I chose were a way of communicating thoughts and emotions I couldn\u2019t always put into words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranging from feelings of holiday magic to road-tripping across the U.S. or simply a playlist of background music for deep, late-night conversations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n