Going back to school can be nerve-wracking. The early mornings, the impromptu tests, and that one teacher always on your neck are exhausting.
You have to get your education, so you might as well get yourself pumped up about going. And what better way to get yourself ready for the semester than music?
Whether you dread the early mornings, crowded classrooms, or the first day of college, you can find a song to set the mood. Now let’s look at 10 of the best songs about going back to school.
1. “What I Go To School For” By Jonas Brothers
It seems fitting to start our list by answering this question first: Why do you go to school? Ideally, everyone goes to school to get an education and acquire essential skills to make it through life. However, we all have separate ‘real’ reasons why we leave bed every morning to go to school.
That’s the theme for “What I Go to School For,” as envisioned by the Jonas Brothers. The song is about a guy with a massive crush on a girl in her senior year of high school. He goes to school every day hoping she will notice him and win her over, which he eventually does.
School may be terrible, but if you have a crush, you may just have found a reason to keep going. This song could be the inspiration you need to prepare your backpack for the semester.
2. “I’m Just A Kid” By Simple Plan
School can be lonely, especially if you don’t have friends and no one understands you. As a result, some people dread going back to school since it revives these feelings of loneliness.
Who wants to be in a place where they have no friends and are constantly under pressure anyway? If you are one of those people, “I’m Just a Kid” by Simple Plan is for you.
The song is about a kid who feels like he is on his own and no one cares. He could be an outcast at school. He doesn’t fit in, so while everyone is at a party somewhere, he is at home all alone.
3. “You Belong With Me” By Taylor Swift
Here’s one fact when you go to school: having a crush makes it bearable. You may dread attending your Math class. But you’ll definitely look forward to seeing that special someone.
Taylor Swift gives a glimpse of what it’s like in “You Belong with Me.” It’s about a girl who has a huge crush on a guy at her school but is too shy to tell him. She thinks he’s way out of her league and he has a girlfriend anyway.
The girl can’t help comparing herself to his girlfriend. The other girl is sexy and a cheer captain, whereas she doesn’t like getting made-up and prefers wearing T-shirts. However, the girl knows that she can understand him better than anyone else. It’s a happy ending for both of them.
4. “Teenagers” By My Chemical Romance
Up next on the list is a classic. If you have the jitters about returning to school, listen to “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance. It might give you the confidence you need to get back to the system and have a great semester.
You’ll understand the song more when you watch the music video set in a high school auditorium. The band sings about how teenagers are fed with lessons from books and hopefully become upright members of society.
The song has a rebellious punk rock feel as the band tackles the relationship between society and teenagers. Despite the rebellious undertone, it might just be the pick-me-up you need to get you psyched up for school.
5. “Education” By The Kinks
Our list continues with the classic hit song by the Kinks, “Education.” The lyrics tell the story of a lonesome uneducated caveman who spends his time chewing meat from bones. He has no friends and cannot communicate. All he does is groan.
However, after getting an education, the primitive man learns to speak and makes friends. He learns to live off the land and builds a house where he lives with his friends. Life becomes so much easier and bearable for him.
You can listen to “Education” whenever you feel like you’re losing perspective on why you go to school. It could just be the motivation you need.
6. “High School Never Ends” By Bowling For Soup
Your high school years may be a period you just want to fly by so you can graduate and get it over with. After all, it’s supposed to get better after high school. “High School Never Ends” by Bowling for Soup perfectly describes this feeling.
The song is about how the band members are eager to complete high school but soon find out life is the same after graduation. The world still has the equivalents of your high school chess team captain, quarterback, and prom queen.
So indeed, high school never ends. And when you think about it, the song applies to high school, college, work and even life in general. Despite the lyrics and the message, it reminds us to just enjoy life.
7. “Too Cool For School” By Fountains of Wayne
Despite the title of this song, it can make you excited to go back to school. Fountains of Wayne‘s “Too Cool for School” is perfect to listen to for those morning walks to class.
The song is about a fashionable young man who oozes confidence. Everyone loves and envies him because he is too cool to be in school, as the title suggests. It’s the character we all wish we could be.
The school opening season approaches. It’s nice to have this song on your playlist to give you the confidence to start your semester.
8. “Young Dumb And Broke” By Khalid
At one point, we experience being “Young Dumb & Broke.” This 2017 song by Khalid perfectly describes what we are in high school. It’s an almost painful description of this part of our lives.
It’s not to say that we shouldn’t enjoy being in high school. There are a lot of people who had or have the best time of their lives, and that’s what the song depicts.
Khalid perfectly describes high school’s fun and sad parts. You get to hang out with friends during breaks and you have the opportunity to form lifetime bonds. And if you are a romantic, you can find love. Despite being young, dumb, and broke, you can have a blast.
9. “Dance, Dance” By Fall Out Boy
Going back to school isn’t all about hitting the books. It also means there are upcoming dances to be excited about. Homecoming perhaps? “Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy perfectly describes this part of the school.
The song is about exactly what the title alludes to: a dance. In the music video, three high school misfits have a hard time during the semester. But when it’s time for the homecoming dance, they outshine the cool kids.
Some people may relate to this more than others, especially the ones who feel like they don’t fit in. But imagine what confidence can do. So get your groove on and jam to this tune as the back-to-school season approaches.
10. “Cool Kids” By Echosmith
Back-to-school season means people regroup in their usual cocoons. There are nerds, emos, weebs, jocks, and of course, the cool kids. This song by Echosmith perfectly explains how these social dynamics work.
“Cool Kids” more or less shows a dark part of the school. There are the popular students. Then there are the misfits. And there is this huge gap separating them.
The ones who do not fit in might feel envious, just like the girl and the guy in the lyrics who feel invisible and want to be noticed. If you are about to resume school, this song can prepare you for what you are about to encounter.
Summing Up Our List Of Back To School Songs
This is one of those things that can be scary or exciting, depending on how you take it. And whatever you feel, that’s okay. It’s perfectly understandable.
However, no matter how you feel about your holiday ending, you must go back to school eventually. That’s an important period in your life that will prepare you later when you face the real world.
But for now, you can always try to improve your experience by listening to the right songs. Hopefully, the back-to-school-themed songs above can get you there.