7 songs that trigger my wanderlust

So I've taken about a month off from my blog in order to get through the end of the semester and just take a break. But I'm back now, with a sudden desire to keep things a little personal for a second.

I have this super strong sense of wanderlust. I love exploring, I love finding new places, wandering with no destination in mind. To the point where if I haven't done it in a while, I start to get really stir crazy and anxious. I thrive off change and exploration. I don't get to travel often, unfortunately, so I often try to satisfy my wanderlust with exploration of city parks, or city neighborhoods I haven't been to yet, or long walks or drives with no destination in mind. When my sense of wanderlust acts up, it's all-consuming until it's been satisfied.

And there are, as of right now, fortunately or unfortunately, exactly seven songs that trigger it.

zer0 | Krewella

"I daydream of disappearing, close my eyes and drive the coast / Up the curve of California, I don't stop until I'm lost"

This song, quite frankly, is a vibe and a half. It's the combination of the strength of the vibe and its progressive growth throughout the song with the lyrics that drip with meaning. It really is the strength of the chorus paired with the overall vibe of the song that just make me want to, well, drive the coast of California (which I can't easily do from the Midwest) or just get in the car and get lost.

Everything We Need | A Day to Remember

"Yeah, I just need some four-wheel isolation / 'Cause Lord knows I can't afford that vacation / And you can't see the skyline from the basement"

The acoustic guitar in the verses accentuate the feeling of driving down back roads, with the windows down, wind in my hair, no one around, getting lost down a road I've never been on before. The harmonies in the chorus and the drums really bring out that feeling of comradery. And the lyrics themselves, well, that's where the wanderlust is found. The verses all discuss driving, the bridge about four-wheel isolation, not affording vacation, and skylines. It's everything. Just listening to it now writing this makes me want to hop in a car and find some random back roads somewhere.

Adventure is Out There | AJR

"Adventure is out there \ So why am I in here today?"

This song talks of adventure through the story of lost socks in the verses. It's wishing you could be anywhere but stuck in your house or apartment. It's wanting to be traveling the world, to find an adventure. All of which, from the lost socks to the desire of an adventure, are feelings I know all too well.

Midnight Sky | Living in Fiction

"The midnight sky is the road I'm takin'/ Head high up in the clouds (Oh, oh) / I was born to run"

This is a rock cover of Miley Cyrus' "Midnight Sky." It's a fantastic cover, filled with electric guitars and drums -- at first, having listened to it on Spotify, I hadn't realized it was even a cover. And honestly, the strong sense of wanderlust in me relates to the line "I was born to run" so strongly, which is why it makes the list. Plus, it's a perfect vibe for those highway adventures.

Greenlights | Krewella

"I see nothing but green lights"

Honestly, this one has less to do with the lyrics -- unlike most other songs on this list -- and more to do with the vibe. To summarize it quickly, it makes me want to have an adventure, to go do something new, to find something new, to explore. Because, quite frankly, as they put it, "I might be running outta, running outta time."

Safe | All Time Low

"Just put the car in drive / And chase the county lines / You never know how far you'll go"

This song is honestly everything to me. It's the feeling of finding a safe place, of traveling, of driving, of creating distance. Of being safe. It's a song that makes me feel good, feel understood, while also making me want to put the car in drive and just start going, no destination in mind, finding some place new to explore.

Feel Bad | A Story Told

"I wanna move out west just to say I did / With an empty head with no plan's the best / I haven’t seen half the world / Why am I still sitting here"

This song is a big hitter for me. The instrumentals paired with the lyrics creates a song that nears perfection. While each verse and chorus really resonates with me, it's that second verse that really triggers my wanderlust. The "I haven't seen half the world, why am I still sitting here" is a thought that often runs uncontrollably through my head. The "no plan's the best" resonates so strongly with me, because when I'm able to act on my sense of wanderlust, it's often with no plans, and those are always the best experiences. When you pair those lyrics with the guitars, the drums and the keys, it all works in perfect harmony that really stirs something in me.

And there you have it. These seven songs are unique and powerful to me in the way that they're able to trigger my wanderlust so strongly and so consistently. They have a special place in my heart -- and a Spotify playlist all to themselves, dedicated to my sense of wanderlust.