The wintertime can feel especially isolating for people who enjoy the warm, social energy of the summer. These feelings have a way of sneaking up on you, but the right playlist can either help you through it or push you down harder. Here are 5 songs that you’ll want in that playlist this season that could serve either of those purposes:

1. Flowers in December, Mazzy Star: Mazzy Star perfectly captures the empty feeling that is commonly felt by people during the cold weather in a song about 5 minutes long. Though both David Roback and Hope Sandoval never elaborated in interviews about the song’s meaning, my interpretation is that during this winter season that both Sandoval and Roback wrote about, the narrator feels a deep emptiness due to the falling out with a partner.
   “I wouldn’t have taken everything out on you. I only thought you could understand,”  Sandoval’s hypnotic voice combined with the harmonica turns these sad lyrics into what could be a lullaby. “And I’ve been wondering why you let me down… And I been taking it all for granted..”
2. Come Away With Me, Norah Jones: Norah Jones is well-known for the calming, gentle tone in which she whispers her music. This song is sweet in a way that feels content and safe, like it will make you feel the same every time you listen to it. It feels like listening to nostalgia of someone else’s perfect, fully lived life. “And I wanna walk with you on a cloudy day in fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high,” The words encapsulate these memories of a happy, memorable time.
3. Gymnopedie No.1, Erik Satie: If you are like me and lived through prime Roblox, you might be aware of the game Roblox High School. This song was in the soundtrack, now being a sound of nostalgia to those who had played it and remember or those who enjoy classic music as a whole. This variation is on piano, but there are many others including Ruth White’s that do not use one. Although, even without words, this song is incredibly soothing.
4. Acolyte, Slaughter Beach, Dog: Jack Ewald, the lead singer of Modern Baseball is also the singer for Slaughter Beach, Dog. Modern Baseball listeners should genuinely consider giving them a listen, starting with their most popular song, Acolyte. It is a more upbeat song in comparison to the others on this list. The lyrics tell of someone who is trying everything about life for the first time. New experiences as things change in their life but their love stays the same for one person. The narrator seemingly has no intention to be without them, hinting that they would go where she goes. “Man, it cuts like a knife when you’re young and you’re told ‘makes sense when you’re older’, darling lets get old..” Ewald’s tone is  a shaky and sad one yet it is hopeful.
5. On Earth, The Sundays: In On Earth, the narrator speaks to a girl named Sarah who is struggling to connect with others in a time of change. Sarah asks the narrator to read her palms and tell her her future. “When you’re hoping for some more from your life, shouldn’t wonder you’ve had enough,” The narrator responds, implying that she is inherently unsatisfied. Harriet Wheeler’s interpretation of heaven on earth is really just being around people and having experiences instead of just focusing on what your life could be.

Winter can be a heavy time for some people, and music can often serve as a coping mechanism. Though seasonal depression can often be minimized, the effects are lasting. Feeling overwhelmed or helpless during this time doesn’t make you weak, all mental health issues deserve care and attention.