What is the MPA listening to? – Friendship Autopsy
My friends have great taste! by Lailah Williams MPA’26published March 3rd, 2026
My friends have great taste! by Lailah Williams MPA’26published March 3rd, 2026
Music is a connecting and balancing force. Whenever I meet someone new, I am always curious about what songs they listen to on their way to work, before a big test, or what comforts them after a crushing breakup.
When I was in high school, I used to make playlists for friends based on our conversations, or even off of their vibes alone (which is a feat, trust me). I felt so fulfilled being able to nail down their exact music taste, if they drank oat or almond milk, and how it sounds when they truly laugh.
Now, in my twenties, making new friends has changed. No longer am I sitting in an undergraduate classroom from 9-4pm where my desk was perfectly situated between my closest friends.Now I am in class less, have more responsibilities, and rely on Google calendar as a bootleg RSVP. Can you blame me for having whiplash?
Before I began my master’s program last summer, I was nervous about making friends. I wondered if people would see me, and would want to know more about my story. As corny as it sounds, in my head I had put grad school on such a pedestal: a glimpse into what “real” adulthood would look like. Luckily, I can report back that not only has my experience been amazing, but that the people I’ve met are even better.
That is not to say that everything is sunshine and rainbows. I have been challenged and disoriented by the newness of this chapter. I have cried and I have smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. I could not be more grateful.
Instead of dread, my newfound community has filled me with hope. We all come from different walks of life, but we choose to share it with one another. Music is sort of like friendship in that way. You start to associate a song with an experience that brings you closer to where you want to end up or to who you one day desire to become.
I can remember which songs I was listening to while getting ready for orientation, the queued up playlist that complemented our drives to Newport, and what our headphones blasted during an intense quant study session.
To memorialize this year in my program, I asked my cohort and friends what songs they’ve been listening to lately. I made a playlist with their favorites right now and their selections range from Broadway to Puerto Rican classics. No one person recommended the same song.
This experiment gave me a chance to truly witness the beauty of diversity at Brown. I am lucky because without my community, my life would be far less colorful. At the end of May, we will all graduate together and move on to the next chapter of our lives. Some of us will work, go to law school, or even take a year to figure out what’s next. No matter what we choose to do, we will have each other to lean on. Brown brought us together, but I believe that music will carry us through.
MPA Class of 2026 Playlist:
Lailah Williams MPA’26 is listening to “Love Takes Miles” by Cameron Winter.
Michael Brent MPA’26 is listening to “Revolution” by Kirk Franklin.
Olivia Hayes MPA’26 is listening to “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
Jack Diprimio MPA’26 is listening to “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Ashley Ogega MPA’26 is listening to “No Ordinary Love” by Sade.
Margarita Pereira MPA’26 is listening to “Miffed it” by Way Dynamic.
Shavonne Hines Foster MPA’26 is listening to “Hopeless Romantic” by kwn
Derek Czapek MPA’26 is listening to “Fuera Del Planeta” by Eloy, Randy Nota Loca, Zion, Jowell & Randy
Jocelyn Limon MPA’26 is listening to “Will I See You Again?” by Thee Sacred Souls
When I was in high school, I used to make playlists for friends based on our conversations, or even off of their vibes alone (which is a feat, trust me). I felt so fulfilled being able to nail down their exact music taste, if they drank oat or almond milk, and how it sounds when they truly laugh.
Now, in my twenties, making new friends has changed. No longer am I sitting in an undergraduate classroom from 9-4pm where my desk was perfectly situated between my closest friends.Now I am in class less, have more responsibilities, and rely on Google calendar as a bootleg RSVP. Can you blame me for having whiplash?
Before I began my master’s program last summer, I was nervous about making friends. I wondered if people would see me, and would want to know more about my story. As corny as it sounds, in my head I had put grad school on such a pedestal: a glimpse into what “real” adulthood would look like. Luckily, I can report back that not only has my experience been amazing, but that the people I’ve met are even better.
That is not to say that everything is sunshine and rainbows. I have been challenged and disoriented by the newness of this chapter. I have cried and I have smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. I could not be more grateful.
Instead of dread, my newfound community has filled me with hope. We all come from different walks of life, but we choose to share it with one another. Music is sort of like friendship in that way. You start to associate a song with an experience that brings you closer to where you want to end up or to who you one day desire to become.
I can remember which songs I was listening to while getting ready for orientation, the queued up playlist that complemented our drives to Newport, and what our headphones blasted during an intense quant study session.
To memorialize this year in my program, I asked my cohort and friends what songs they’ve been listening to lately. I made a playlist with their favorites right now and their selections range from Broadway to Puerto Rican classics. No one person recommended the same song.
This experiment gave me a chance to truly witness the beauty of diversity at Brown. I am lucky because without my community, my life would be far less colorful. At the end of May, we will all graduate together and move on to the next chapter of our lives. Some of us will work, go to law school, or even take a year to figure out what’s next. No matter what we choose to do, we will have each other to lean on. Brown brought us together, but I believe that music will carry us through.
MPA Class of 2026 Playlist:
Lailah Williams MPA’26 is listening to “Love Takes Miles” by Cameron Winter.
Michael Brent MPA’26 is listening to “Revolution” by Kirk Franklin.
Olivia Hayes MPA’26 is listening to “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
Jack Diprimio MPA’26 is listening to “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Ashley Ogega MPA’26 is listening to “No Ordinary Love” by Sade.
Margarita Pereira MPA’26 is listening to “Miffed it” by Way Dynamic.
Shavonne Hines Foster MPA’26 is listening to “Hopeless Romantic” by kwn
Derek Czapek MPA’26 is listening to “Fuera Del Planeta” by Eloy, Randy Nota Loca, Zion, Jowell & Randy
Jocelyn Limon MPA’26 is listening to “Will I See You Again?” by Thee Sacred Souls