Rockout Sessions

When I moved to Chicago almost 5 years ago, I came to the city without a car.  I knew it would be an adjustment but thankfully college had started training me to not rely on my car as my main form of transportation.   In college, I walked almost everywhere and only drove my car when I had errands to run or was going to a friends house or on a trip.   College really grew my love for walking and having the alone time with my thoughts and music as I would go to and from classes listening to music.  It was my favorite "me" time and was when I spent my time reflecting.

High School was a different story.  When you turn 16 and you have a car, you want to drive as much as humanly possible.  I remember getting in my car sometimes and having no destination in mind, all I wanted to do was to drive around and listen to music.  The freedom of being able to drive was a thrill and I have so many memories of me driving with friends or by myself during my teenage years listening to music and rocking out or even crying out my feelings (you know when I am talking about- crying about heartbreaks, etc).

So now being an urbanite without a car, whenever I have the chance to drive a friends car or my boyfriends car by myself, I take full advantage of the alone time and I have some serious rock-out sessions.  I listen to songs that are fitting to what I am feeling and I just belt the words out like nobody is watching or listening.   I even add some dance moves in my seat depending on the song that is playing on the radio or my itunes.  Embarrassing as I may say, I will even go as far as using the steering wheel as my drum set or bust out an air guitar from time to time.

For me, driving a car is rare because I ride the Chicago public transportation everyday to and from work, and of course I can't bust out singing on a bus that is packed with more people than a can of sardines.  If I did do that, people would look at my like I am looney or yell at me for being loud.  Also CTA has a rule saying no one is allowed to play music loud enough to distract other passengers (yes it is a rule).   The other times I am listening to music is either while I am at work at my desk, working out, or getting ready.   Even then, I don't feel like I can sing as loudly and as obnoxiously as I would if I was in a car by myself.   If I  am home alone and my neighbors aren't home either, then you can bet your bottom dollar I am having an awesome rock-out session by myself.  Everyone deserves to let loose and have them from time to time.

Since I embrace my rock-out sessions, I believe other people should as well.  When I am in a car, bus, or a taxi and I happen to pull up alongside a car that has a group of people or an individual singing their heart out at the wheel, instead of judging or laughing at them, I say to myself "good for you!"  They may be feeling the same freedom I feel whenever I get the chance to drive a car by myself and I say more power to you!  Embrace that time to sing your heart out to whatever songs you want and feel free to do some seating dancing as well.  

Music enriches our lives and we need to enjoy music, embrace it and rock-out whenever the moment allows us to do so.   Music was made to move us and touch our hearts and souls.  Dancing and rock-out sessions are the best ways to seize them fully and I say more power to you!

When and where do you have rockout sessions?  Any songs you particularly enjoy rocking out to the most?