Summer Drives Playlist
From what I remember, as a kid, I hated being in the car with the windows down. Even on the most pleasant of summer days, I'd prefer the AC. Because, when you're in the backseat of a minivan, having the windows open isn't all that exciting. You can't hang your arm out in a vain attempt to look cool or even improve your line of sight. Instead, all you get is a two-inch opening that runs across the bottom and side of the tinted glass and the secondhand air from open windows up front. Turns out the feeling of wind blowing through your hair doesn't feel so liberating when you don't have a choice in the matter. It wasn't until after my first couple of summers driving that I really came to appreciate an open window.
By the time I started delivering pizza in college, I loved driving with the windows down. During hot summer days, it was the quickest way to cool off after standing next to the pizza shop's oven, and I swiftly learned to savor the feeling of wind blowing through my hair. On top of that, leaving the pizza shop was an escape from whatever bullshit was happening in the store. Once I left for a delivery I could relax because I knew it would be just me and my music for the next 20 or so minutes. I had fun on those routes and got to see a lot more of Bowling Green than the typical University student. I also had a seemingly unlimited number of opportunities to listen to new music, so every few shifts I would be sure to add new songs to my playlists that I would spin on repeat.
I have a lot of good memories from driving around Bowling Green. It's beautiful during the summer and has plenty of long country roads to explore, making it an ideal spot for window-down driving. It really cemented a newfound love for cruising with the windows down and feeling the warm air rush past me. Whether it's road trips on tour with the homies, grocery store commutes, or even the ride home from work, I take every chance I can get to drive with the windows down and my music blaring. And yes, even hang my arm out the window a little.
My love for these drives always ends up making winters feel longer than they are. I am always counting down the days until I can dust off my Summer Drives playlist with the first window-down drive of the season. Like many others, I tend to find myself in a bit of a slump during the winter months. Life starts to feel stuffy, like the air in your car when you first get in after it's been sitting in the sun for a few hours. But, once you get the windows down, the tires rolling, and the tunes blaring, everything starts to fall back into place. Check out my Summer Drives playlist on Spotify for my freshest summer jams over the years.