RA Kerin's Essential Summer Playlist

The weather has been playing tricks on all of us lately, which has put me in the mood for summer even though we're just approaching the end of February. I have my short shorts all ready to go when the day we break 65 degrees finally arrives. But most of all I've been jamming to catchy, happy summer music like it's my job. Sad music, I love you, but for now we're all about the jamz.

So here are my Top 5 Songs for Anticipating Summer, both old and new:

1. "First Date" - Blink 182. This is the absolute essential summer song that will never die. Blink 182 is made for summer and during any other season I think they're repetitive and annoying. But if it's hot out, I'm jamming to this song on repeat.

2. "Point/Counterpoint" - Streetlight Manifesto. Shout out to my brother, who put this song on a perfect summer mix he made for me called Ska Ska Ooh La La (as a homage to my favorite Queen Gaga). Gang vocals and trumpets are all I need, baby. This song goes on as soon as I get in my car, every time, without fail.

3. Every Song Ever - Katy Perry. Seriously. We all know Katy is the queen of summer anthems ("Hot N Cold"? "California Girls"? Perf.) which is why I'm already dancing around to "Part of Me", her new single she debuted at the Grammys. Maybe her breaking up with Russell Brand is a sign of good things to come?

4. "Homeless" - Dia Frampton. No, I will not stop pushing her on this blog. The song title sounds incredibly depressing, but it's a catchy little love song that is perfect for those end-of-spring, almost-summer days.

5. "Here's To Us" - Halestorm. If you watch Glee, you probably watched New Directions do a way-too-cheesy version of this song this week at Regionals or whatever. Halestorm is a metal band that I have loved forever. Their singer is a bad ass bitch with tattoos and an amazing guitar. Trust me, their original version is much better, and I will be playing this song as soon as my thesis ends in celebration of coming out alive.

Throoooooowwwwwbaaaaaaaaack.