Music: it’s everywhere. Walking through the brick-lined paths of campus, it’s a rarity to see someone without a pair of headphones on. 

October mornings in Denver bring with them a chill to the air, one that’s gone by noon but for a brief moment, you can almost catch a glimpse of fall. 

The crunch of freshly fallen leaves under your shoes, the soft tickle of a breeze and the consuming scent of an autumn day dominate DU’s quiet campus. 

It was this weather that influenced Skylar Kasnoff’s choice of music, as he walked from Community Commons to Boettcher West for his 10 a.m. class. 

It’s a short walk, but it’s his favorite. 

“I love that I get to walk through the most serene, picturesque part of DU,” Kasnoff said. 

He followed the beat of The Neighborhoods’ “Sweater Weather,” each step forward dripping with the confidence he gets from the song. 

The simple act of walking to class is a moment for the geography major to forget about the stressful day ahead. 

“I spend all my day looking at maps and I’m knee-deep in my honors thesis,” Kasnoff said. “Music reminds me I’m a human.” 

On the first floor of Anderson Academic Commons, music has a different purpose for Sarah Fishbein. 

It’s 12 p.m., and the sophomore biology major is sitting at a circular table, laptop open, hyper-focused on the screen in front of her. She’s been there an hour, and with a study abroad essay, chemistry lab and a physics midterm, staying focused is her main goal. 

“I like to listen to Zach Brian, Mt. Joy, The Lumineers,” Fishbein said. “Something I can listen to but it doesn’t distract me.” 

When silence is the prevailing sound of a building, any noise brave enough to challenge it increases tenfold. Whispers begin to sound like shouts, footsteps like stomps, each sound introducing a new distraction. 

The two AirPods hidden beneath her hair mute the potential disruptions. Music is how she stays focused; how she’ll get through the workload ahead. 

It’s now 4 p.m. After a long day of classes, most people find themselves running to bed. Casie Parrish, a senior environmental science major, has chosen to finish her day at the Ritchie Center Gym. 

The harsh clinks of dropping weights, the hum of the treadmills and conversations become silenced as she puts her headphones over her ears. Now she’s ready. 

“I always start my workouts with ‘I Serve the Base’ by Future,” Parrish said. 

The fast beats and harsh rap lyrics provide Casie with just enough energy to get her through her set. 

“I really just need encouragement in my workouts, music tells me to get with it,” Parrish said. 

For the students of DU, music is much more than just background noise. A morning walk to class can become the favorite part of the day, a once distracting environment becomes a place to focus, a difficult workout set becomes manageable. 

Whatever you listen to, the simple click of that play button can change your perception of the world entirely.