The Top Ten Most Beautiful Songs Ever Written (According to a 14 year old girl)

I consider myself a total music junkie. I play multiple instruments and talk about it incessantly. I fall asleep listening to the instrumental tracks of my favorite songs every night. I am not normal about music- which is why I decided to take a crack at the songs I personally believe are the most beautiful songs ever written. This isn’t necessarily my favorites, just the ones I think are the most beautiful in terms of sound and lyrics and vocals. This is going to be very basic, but I can’t help it. So, bear with me here.

10- Yesterday by The Beatles

Listen, I don’t even love The Beatles that much (despite being named after one of their songs), but every time this song plays I feel like melting down to the floor. It’s so simple- there isn’t a lot going on in the background, some light guitar and maybe harmonica, I can’t really tell- but that somehow ads to the depth of Paul McCartney’s voice, making it a total powerhouse of a song.

9- The Winner Takes It All by ABBA

Okay, but would it really be a list of mine without some ABBA? For anybody who isn’t in the know, I am obsessed with 70s and 80s music, especially European 70s and 80s music, and even though I don’t listen to a lot of ABBA casually on a day to day basis, they have a ton of songs that are in my top 30 and top 50, because when ABBA wants to make you cry, they can do it. This song is so depressing, which is definitely a theme amongst these ten songs. A vast majority are about a lost love, this is just one of the great ones.

8- Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac

Don’t TALK while Silver mfing Springs is playing! In the grand scheme of things, the live version of this song is probably in my top five favorite songs of all time. Stevie Nicks the woman you are! There’s a lot I could say about this, but I think you should just go listen to the song instead and then come back. Stroke of genius this song is.

7- Chiquitita by ABBA

Another ABBA song, Chiquitita was always one of my favorites growing up. This song was TikTok-ified a couple years ago for the piano at the end of it- “Silencio Bruno!” from Luca- but has always been a song I’ve appreciated for it’s theme and the composition on it. The background is so beyond beautiful and tear jerking.

6- Rocket Man by Elton John

Do you guys ever find one song and then you suddenly hear it everywhere? That’s me with Rocket Man. This has been one of my favorite songs for a few years now because I suddenly started hearing it everywhere. I know it’s a super popular song and I shouldn’t really be surprised to be hearing it a lot, but I mean this seriously I hear it everywhere. Once again, the lyrics are so beautiful and sad- this song has it’s points where it’s so sad and it’s points where its so happy, which is something I really value about it. I know I have years of time to plan, but when the day comes around this song will probably be somewhere on my wedding track list. Just you wait.

5- Wait For Me from Hadestown

You really thought I wasn’t going to slip a musical in here? Ha. I just learned about this song less than a month ago when I saw it on the West End, and it has CHANGED MY LIFE. The piano in the background is so insane and creepy while still being triumphant and the vocalists are so incredible- I didn’t understand this song until I saw it live, but then, oh my god. Hadestown, guys!

4- You’re On Your Own, Kid by Taylor Swift

Obviously this song has to make the list. There was a serious tie up about which Taylor Swift song should be in here, but at the end of the day it was always going to be this one. This song is so haunting and reflective and just overall brilliant. The second I heard the bridge I knew it was going to be one of my favorite songs forever. I also have a bit of a personal connection to it because Taylor obviously tapped into my psyche to get the inspiration for these lyrics.

3- Runaway by Kanye West

Nobody and I mean NOBODY knows separate the art from the artist like I do when Runaway by Kanye West starts playing. This might be THE song. I don’t understand how anybody can create such an incredible song, nonetheless Kanye West, but he did it and it is amazing. I don’t have to explain to you why this song is so beautiful because it’s obvious when you listen to it. This song and the number one spot are tied for my favorite song of all time.

2- Operator by Jim Croce

I’m finally straying away from the extremely basic with this pick. This is a song that runs in the family. It’s a song that’s been long loved by my dad and my grandparents. It’s such a beautiful song with incredible storytelling that’s heavy enough to make you extremely sad but light enough to not be overbearing. And then when you hear about Jim Croce and his death- GOOD LORD. ENOUGH TO MAKE A GROWN MAN CRY.

1- Waltz #2 (XO) by Elliott Smith

I have so many things I could say about this song. It sounds so raw and sad. I can’t even really express the acute melancholy of this song in words- it just undoubtedly is one of the most incredibly written songs ever. You just have to listen to it. It can be interpreted in so many different ways and can be played in so many different situations just like any good song should be. It’s one of those songs that you love so much but are too gut wrenching to listen to more than once a month. Further proof that Portlanders do it best!

Back and Kicking.. March Madness

My March was BRUTAL. I haven’t been keeping up to date with the blog for that reason. All of my extracurriculars had tournaments and state and all that jazz, none of which went very well but all of which were fun. However, I’m back now, and am even more dedicated to running a blog with a bit of a change in style- I’ve decided to stray away from some of the qualities of this blog like the ‘this month’ section and really focus in on what this is really about- empowering young women to achieve their goals. So, without further ado, I will be launching a series in early May highlighting women in the world who I think teach us important lessons about what it means to be girls. This may include interviews, it may not. I’m still in very early development, but stay tuned! More is to come!

Beating Second Semester Slump- Tips and Tricks

As the year comes to a close, the second quarter of the school year begins. Many of us have new classes, new teachers, and new sports to start off the new semester. As somebody known for a second semester academic comeback, here are my tips and tricks for staying on task.

Tip one- GO TO BED!!

I can’t express to you enough how much better your life is going to be if you start going to bed earlier. I have a bad habit of reading until really late, but if I can give you one trick in the entire world to improve your mental state and help you keep your grades in peak condition, it’s to sleep!

Tip two- take up a sport!

Especially if your school has good athletics, playing a winter sport on a team with good morale and occasional wins will help you feel better. You’ll be in better shape and feel happier. For me, it’s basketball season right now. I think that’s by far the very best time of year.

Tip three- water!

Two years ago, I made it my new year’s resolution to drink more water, since I get really bad headaches. Not only did my headaches go away, but everything was clearer. I totally recommend slipping a water bottle into your school backpack.

Tip four- start a new TV show!

Adding a bit of suspense into your life is always good. Plus, if you watch a show on your computer while you get ready or eat breakfast, you’ll be way more ready to get out of bed. Me personally, I just started Doctor Who last week and I’m totally hooked. Starting a show that you really want to watch makes everything more fun. My recommendations are Pretty Little Liars, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, New Girl and Game of Thrones.

Tip five- set a funky alarm!

Using my Alexa, I set my alarm to a different song every single day so that I can get up and have a dance party. Setting it to a song you love is very helpful to motivate you to get out of bed.

Boston College, Harvard, and UChicago!

As many people who came from our tik tok account may know, my family and I spent thanksgiving break in Boston and Chicago, while we were there, we visited three colleges: Boston College, and UChicago. I was truly astonished by how beautiful all of the campuses were and how the student’s lives looked. Obviously, I chose to look at those specific colleges because of their great locations in big metropolitan areas I could see myself in if New York doesn’t work out and because they all have famous journalism programs, and hey, I’m not going to get my dream job of writing for The New York Times by going to community college.

The first school we visited was the iconic Harvard University just outside of Boston in a small town called Cambridge. Unfortunately, due to protests for Palestine, the yard was closed, but it was okay because we still got to walk the perimeter and I got to see the law school. The campus was beautiful of course and the leaves were falling all around so I felt very Rory Gilmore. Since I didn’t get to see so much, there isn’t a ton I can say, but the town was absolutely adorable and I felt like I was in a movie. We also got a bomb slice of pizza at Joe’s.

Next we went to Boston College which was right off the bat very interesting. Since my highschool doesn’t have a football team, it’s sort of important to me that I go somewhere where their team is at least okay. Boston College’s team plays a lot of the big teams, even if it isn’t super good. I also knew that it was a good school and by this point I knew I liked the area it was in.

It was AMAZING. Okay, I’m not kidding right now- it was beautiful. Like, crazy. I felt like I was in Europe all over again! All of the people there also looked like people I could totally see myself being friends with, definitely my crowd. Let’s just say I saw a lot of uggs. The only setback is that they don’t have sororities which I guess isn’t a huge deal, I mean it’s not like I’m going to be rushing bama anytime soon, but I do think it would be really nice to live in a house with a lot of girls who are like me and have that kind of environment.

The final college we only stopped at, and that was UChicago. In general, the campus was just as pretty as Boston College’s. It was beautiful, and it’s a top school. Me and my family even went into one of the buildings and it felt like I was in Dead Poets Society. It’s rustic and beautiful and feels literally like hogwarts. It was cold too and the leaves were falling all over campus and it felt like I was living in a pinterest board.

The only setback was the lack of… social things? If anyone is reading this who knows more about the school is like, “you’re so wrong!” let me know, but the lack of football was kind of sad. As someone who’s already missing out on all of the classic high school things like football games and house parties, I really value going to a school with some kind of social scene, even though it’s not a top priority. Harvard for example obviously doesn’t have a huge football life or anything, but they have a team and I could tell the hype level was somewhat there. For context, the Harvard/Yale game was the day after I visited so the bookstore was selling sweatshirts and foam fingers and the town it was in was especially lively.

I guess it’s not too big of an issue, because in the grand scheme of things I could honestly care less about football, I just think it would be a fun add on. Getting a good education at a prestigious school that will give me the biggest shot at achieving my goals is all I really care about.

Overall, I can’t really say I have a favorite of the three. They were all beautiful and definitely places I could see myself in the future. Those are three schools that I am for sure applying to when the time comes.

Quarter One of High Shcool!

The first quarter of my freshman year officially ended about two weeks ago. To celebrate the end of the quarter, we get to have conferences! Fun! The way we do conferences at my school is that they’re led by the students. So basically, I tell my teachers what I think I’m doing well and not so well and they respond.

So… how did it go?

Really well! I think I’m doing really good so far. All of my teachers really like me. We also got our grades back for the quarter and I have an A in every class but Spanish, where I have an A-. My school doesn’t do A+, so that’s why I don’t have any so far.

Walking to New York— a journal of college applications

Ever since I was a little girl, the only thing I have ever wanted was to live in New York City. In my fourteen years of life, I have visited the city seven times, and the general consensus each time I visit is that it’s where I need to be.

I can’t even describe what it is I like so much about the city. It’s beautiful, it’s endless, and more than my hometown ever will be- it’s home. Most of my dad’s side of the family lives in Connecticut, so my links to the state run deep.

Another value of mine is education. I am currently a freshman in highschool at one of the top 3 best private high schools in my state, and I value my academics (and my hair) over pretty much anything else. All I’ve ever wanted was to go to the best schools of anyone in my family, which might seem narcissistic, but hey! It’s also ambitious! The best school so far is UPenn!

So, when I mash up two of my most core values, it leads me straight to one place- Columbia University in the city of New York. With an excellent journalism and law program, which are very clearly my interested majors, and a spot right in the action of the city, I’m confident Columbia University is perfect for me.

So join me, as I start walking to New York.

Freshman Year Extracurriculars- so far!

My goal for my Freshman extracurriculars was to start really showing the areas of studies that I’m interested in. One thing that I’ve learned from endless hours of watching and carefully dissecting college stat videos is that colleges prefer when you stick to extracurriculars that are either relevant to you or your future career path, so that’s what I did!

I play two sports, am a member of four clubs, and I am taking piano lessons twice a week. Although it might not sound like a lot, dedication to your craft is infinitely more important than the quantity of crafts you’re making, so, on the side of taking these clubs, I’m trying my hardest to win as many awards as possible in the area.

The four clubs I am a member of are Mock Trial, the feminism club, Battle of the Books, and Debate Team. I’m sure it’s easy to see how these all fit into my potential career paths, but I can also spell it out just to be clear. I want to either be a lawyer or a journalist, so for law, I’m doing Mock Trial, where my mom, an ex trial lawyer is actually the coach, debate team, which will obviously improve my public speaking and quick thinking, both things important to law. For journalism, I am a part of Battle of the Books, which really just ties into writing as a whole. I primarily read fantasy books on my own time, so it’s very important that I try my hardest to broaden my horizons if I plan to make a career out of writing. Feminism club is just a me thing.

I’m also a member of clubs that can lead to me excelling in them, which will look amazing on my applications. For instance, there are many tournaments in debate and state and national rankings. You can also be recruited by a college for debate like you are for other sports. Battle of the Books provides me with the possibility to prove my reading comprehension on a state level, which for a writing career, always looks good.

As for my sports, I’m playing sports purely for fun. My first sport is a winter sport, basketball. I played in middle school and with a no cuts athletic program I will make the team no matter what. I think basketball is basically the most fun thing in the world, and it’s really hard for me to get through winter without seeing my teammates everyday after school for practice. In spring, I play golf, by commision of my dad, but also so I can impress the old money people when I make it to the ivy league. It’s not like I’m going D1 or even D3, it’s just to show that I like engaging in activities for fun outside of academics and to show how well I can work in a team setting.

On top of all of that, I’ve been playing piano since I was four years old, and plan to continue playing through high school. I’m an incredibly musical person by nature, and playing the piano is a great way to express that. Also, fourteen years of piano lessons shows quite the dedication.

I also speak fluent Spanish porque fui a una escuela de español for all of elementary school. I’ve continued to expand on my Spanish skills ever since, and plan to try picking up Russian in the coming years out of a total fascination with Russian history and inspiration from my fifth grade teacher. This is not something I’m doing for the college application, this is something I’m doing because I love to learn to languages and learn the cultures of countries other than the United States, where I currently live.

To close up on my Freshman year activities, I also started this blog! No matter how many viewers it gains or doesn’t gain, I wanted to start Auroria to share my thoughts with you guys about everything from trashy rom coms to this!