How do you listen?

 No two students listen to music quite the same. Like a fingerprint or a snowflake, the way the listener connects with the music is completely original. In today's world of technology, the options are almost overwhelming.

 And when did clouds become anything more than big fluffy rain bags?

 The image of the stereotypical college student has stayed rather consistent over the years. Nothing screams a higher education like the latest trends, coffee cups, and hip road bikes. However, one crucial item that seems to be changing as of late is the way the college student roams the campus with the music they have grown to love.

 The options are limitless. With streaming, MP3s, and mobile phones capable of carrying any assortment of data, any student can bomb the big final just trying to find their "study jams."

 It's one thing to keep up with class schedules, exams, and a social life, but now our escape from reality is a tangled web of possibilities.

 Some students, like Dustin Manning, keep up with the modern technologies to achieve more "bang" for the buck. Rhapsody, a streaming service comparable to Spotify, is Manning's go-to music player. Available to stream from an application on his cell phone, Manning has the music he needs at any moment. "I have access to a virtually unlimited library for the cost of an album a month," said Manning. The streaming services make it easy to search for songs without having to drop money every time something strikes interest.

 The problem with this to some students is that the music being listened to is only temporary.

 Though this may be a new trend, the old mentality of owning music is still alive 
and well.

 Students like Jennifer Zachary roam campus with an MP3 player stock full of her personally owned music. "My iPod is really all I need," Zachary explains. The idea of owning music on campus does not stop there. Some students can still be found in local record shops to feel their favorite albums in the palm of their hands. Even though Wilco has been releasing new material digitally for years now, Nick Panella, a jazz studies major, would still rather own The Whole Love album on vinyl.

 Some students do not even need technology to enjoy the sweet sound of music on campus. O'Cion Rankin, for example, can be heard all over USM singing songs as varied as old spirituals to "that Laura Marling song" he likes so much. With arms raised and voice ringing, it's virtually impossible to avoid the sentiment behind this troubadour at work.

 No matter the means, students will continue to find the most suitable way to keep them updated on the music that they love not matter how elaborate mediums may become. The important thing is that they keep listening.