In the past week, I’ve listened to Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” for approximately 15 hours because my life is falling apart.
It’s getting to be that time of the year where everything is happening, and you’re just not ready for it. Midterms, if they’re not already done, are quickly approaching. For juniors and seniors, the drop period is looming. And, as Alice and Kelsey put it in the latest episode of their excellent podcast, now’s about the time that you start to realize that you, as a human being, may not be able to do everything you’ve scheduled.
There’s nothing more #college than realizing that you’re in over your head and then pretending that everything’s fine, usually through vocalizing it in repetition and fake cheeriness, determined to get through this mess that is your new life by sheer force of will.
For me, that’s where Fetty Wap comes in.
Look for the manifestations of your stress in your entertainment choices, because, trust me, it will show. When all you want to do is cry while watching “Mamma Mia” for the second time in a week after listening to four hours straight of Fetty Wap because if you listen to something else, you “just won’t feel real,” your life might be trying to send you some messages.
Since last Wednesday, I’ve looked up the biography of Fetty Wap (real name: William Maxwell, born 1991). I’ve gotten into heated arguments about why he’s an important role model. I’ve spent more time learning about the history of trap music than I’ve studied for my Persian test. I almost cried when I found out that Fetty loves “Dancing Queen” because I was singing that when I read it (Abba is my other stress go-to). I’ll be the first to say that this borderline obsession probably isn’t the best use of my time.
But that doesn’t mean it’s a waste of my time.
It’s so, so important to have an outlet to relieve this stress, especially at this point in the semester. UNC culture promotes “healthy” unhealthy behaviors, like staying up all night to finish all of your work or working 40 hours a week while maintaining the idea that you’re such a slacker. It’s easy to convince yourself that you’re doing things that are good for you, even when they’re really not.
It’s even easier to worry about the impact these actions will have on the state of your mental health, especially if you have a history of depression and anxiety.
Fetty Wap’s previously released singles have gotten me through last-minute projects, late nights and the realization that I needed to drop a class because there was no way that I was going to pass it. The release of Fetty Wap’s self-titled debut album on NPR this morning has been psyching me into the long night of studying I have ahead of me.
Last Friday, I heard “Trap Queen” through the speakers of three different cars as I was walking home, and it was a wave of relief. It felt like we were all in this mess together.
I feel confident in saying that we’re all stressed out, we’re all tired and we’re all ready for fall break. It’s just that we handle it in different ways.
Some people party every night. Some people use all of their stress and study. Yeah, I’ve been listening to trap music for probably a ridiculous amount of time, but I’m not staying up all night because I’m circling through unhealthy thoughts.
In terms of stress relief, entertainment is really a good way to be responsible. It gives you something to look forward to, something to think about other than how much work you have to do and something to remind you that this stress is impermanent.
I’ve embraced my stress-choices in entertainment because they help me manage everything that I do — not because I have to, but because I’m trying to make time for what I’m passionate about.
“When you really work hard for something that you genuinely and truly love, and you don't want it to fail, it's a good feeling to see it do good,” Fetty Wap said in an acceptance speech.
With the help of his music, I’m hoping we can all get through this and see the things we love succeed, too.
medium@dailytarheel.com
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