The Mix Tape

I started college right around the same time as Napster started.  I didn't realize it then, but this would set the musical background for my college experience.  Applications like Napster allowed us to have access to free music that we could download and share on the computers our parents bought us (when we weren't writing papers or homework of course).  

With an extensive library at our finger tips, my friends and I made mix tapes for everything.  Taking a shopping trip to Louisville?  Make a mix tape.  Want background music to get ready for Saturday night?  Make a mix tape. 

As we graduated and started getting married, the mix tape tradition stayed with us except now we made mix tapes to provide the background music for bachelorette parties.  The best part was, one person would create the mix and it would be a surprise for everyone else.

I still have my mix tapes but I haven't listened to them for a long time.  Until last week.  I had a crappy day at work and I didn't like anything that was playing on the radio.  So, I started digging through the CDs in my car and I found the CD from my friend Elizabeth's bachelorette party.  I put it in and my mood instantly turned around.

Every song brought back a flood of memories.  I remembered Elizabeth's bachelorette party and the crazy, fun times we had.  I flashed back to our senior year spring break trip to Panama City, Florida and all of the fun and shenanigans we got ourselves into.  The times spent talking and laughing around the sorority house went through my mind.

I miss the mix tape.  Today we have iPods and cell phones and we don't have a need for the mix tape anymore.  I can make my own playlist but its just not the same.  So, if you see me singing my heart out in my car with a big smile on my face.  Just leave me alone as I am taking a trip down memory lane.

When I say mix tape, I really mean CD.  I don't have a tape player and mix tape sounds much more nostalgic than mix CD.