On January 31, 2017, I watched St. Joseph’s Chapel fill with the flickering flames of hundreds of candles in loving memory of Emilia Worth. She was the light of the lovely valley land of Kent, a source of happiness during even the darkest of winters at boarding school. She was intelligent, artistic, creative, adventurous, inspiring, and understanding, always. My fondest memories of her include a guitar, an acoustic melody, and, generally, lots of laughter– and, of course, a flannel. I swear to you, when she was not in Kent dress code, she was always wearing a flannel.
That night in the chapel, students wore flannels in honor of her. Some brave souls even wore Birkenstocks (with no socks) in the dead of winter because Emilia was known for wearing her Birks regardless of the drop in temperature. Those small details were beautiful enough to make me smile even a little bit on such a sad occasion.
This playlist is for you, Em. Thanks for filling my memories of Kent with brightness and music.
The General by Dispatch
Fall 2016: We are sitting in a study room on a Friday night. You play this song and sing along with us. Nobody has a care in the world.
Clairvoyant by The Story So Far
The gloomy melody sets the mood just right, and the lyrics poetically detail feelings of loss and pain. However, there is still a hint of hope in this nostalgic song as Parker Cannon begs, “Don’t paint me black when I used to be golden.”
Cherry Wine by Hozier
Winter 2016: We are sitting in the dining hall during exam week. You play a soft melody on your guitar over and over again. I ask you what song it is. “Cherry Wine by Hozier,” you say. “You should really check it out.” I listened to it all winter.
The Weekend by Modern Baseball
The chorus of this song reflects your impact on the gloomy winters at boarding school: “You’ve got a smile that could light this town and we might need it / ‘Cause it gets dark around here / Real dark around here.”
Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
Winter 2016: We are preparing for the guitar concert. You are practically a prodigy on guitar while I can barely play bar chords. You teach me how to play this song and sit patiently while I practice.
Soco Amaretto Lime by Brand New
This song is about living in the past and wishing “we could stay eighteen forever”. Right about now, I wish I was eighteen, hanging out on Club Fields and looking at the stars at Kent with you and all our friends.
The Lengths by The Black Keys
Winter 2017: You played this on your last night at your last Kent guitar concert ever. I have not stopped listening to it since I found out.
Little Black Submarines by The Black Keys
Winter 2017: You also played this on stage on your last night. You look and sound vivacious and amazing on stage singing about how a broken heart is blind.
There’s a Place by The All-American Rejects
Just another sad song about how we will meet again one day in a place that’s “somewhere in between dream and awake.”
Amelia by Tonight Alive
Although your name is spelled with an “E” and not an “A”, it sounds the same when Jenna McDougall sings it over and over again. The lyrics, however, fit perfectly. “You will always be perfect / You’ll always be beautiful / Our hearts will never forget you.”
Drops of Jupiter by Train
Winter 2017: I have heard this song played on guitar three times since I heard the news. The first time was the night I found out. The second time was with a group of our friends two days later. The third time was at your vigil.
I’ll forever be hoping that you made it to the Milky Way and praying that heaven isn’t overrated.
If you are experiencing mental illness that has led suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Remember that there are people all around you who love more than you can possibly imagine.
