I have an eight-year-old best friend. Her name’s Camila, she’s the daughter of two of my parents’ friends, and she's sweet and bouncy and just as One Direction obsessed as I am. A few nights ago, my mum brought her home for a sleepover with me after going to her parents’ house for a barbeque. When she arrived, she gave me a huge hug and a beaming smile. We took a little while to get reacquainted, as I’ve been away for school; at one point, she asked me how old I am, and I responded, “I’m nineteen. That’s almost, like, proper grown-up, isn’t it?” Her eyes widened.
“You are a grown-up,” she said, and didn’t bother hiding the fact that she was laughing at me, as you do when you’re eight and grown-ups do silly things.
“Am not,” I protested, “I’m just a really big kid. Grown-ups are just really big kids pretending to know what they’re doing.”
Patty enjoys long walks along 7th Avenue, pressed juice, and yelling about boybands on social media. Tweet her at @thepattymatos.
What’s better than hanging with your best friends on a Friday night? Hanging with your best friends, listening to the mix tape you all made, AND taking appointments for your booming babysitting club! Kristy, Claudia, Mary-Anne, Stacey, Dawn, Jessi, and Mallory have put together the most excellent of song selections, and now it is here for you to enjoy. Grab your kid kit (you’re welcome to adult it up with some alcohol) and find that candy you stashed away because tonight, it’s all about starting the weekend right with your BFFs’ favorite songs. Provided they came out in 1995 or before.
Click the photo to go to the 8tracks page!
Track Listing:
Heart of Glass//Blondie
Head Over Feet//Alanis Morissette
Walking on Broken Glass//Annie Lennox
Nothing Compares 2 U//Sinead O’Connor
Words and Guitar//Sleater-Kinney
The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough//Cyndi Lauper
Crimson and Clover//Joan Jett
Cannonball//The Breeders
Gold Soundz//Pavement
Switch//TLC
Alone//Heart
Be Your Own Girl//The Wallflowers
Big Star//Letters to Cleo
Wuthering Heights//Kate Bush
Step by Step//New Kids on the Block
Linger//The Cranberries
Sure Shot//The Beastie Boys
Songbird//Fleetwood Mac
Hold On//Wilson Phillips
Road to Nowhere//Talking Heads
Hannah is a co-founder of full-on monets. she identifies as mary-anne even though she dreams to one day be claudia. if you have an idea for a mix, giver her a shout!
I’m not good expressing my feelings or giving advice to friends. Just ask anyone who has come to me with a problem—I freeze up, or make a sad emoji face, or just simply resort to quoting movies that have no business being quoted during a serious discussion. One thing I am good at, though, is making mixes for friends, full of songs communicating better sentiments and tips than anything I could ever dole out.
So that’s what I’m going to do for you guys. Think of this as a hug, from my brain to your ears. Every week I’ll be giving you a different type of hug—sometimes it will be in the form of powerful songs that remind you that you can take the world by storm, given you have enough unstable air and moisture (not literally, because that is weird and/or gross, but you know what I mean!!!); sometimes it will be songs that advise about ways to deal with people who wrong you (think: vengeful witch with a penchant for dark eyeliner).
This week, however, our inaugural week, the theme is simple: celebrating ladies in all their glory. Twenty-five songs that highlight women in control of their bodies, sexuality, jobs, baseball caps, and friendships. I hope you enjoy each of their singular opinions, and, maybe, even find something that resonates deep inside of you that you weren’t yet aware of.
(please note: there is only one boy on this album, that of will.i.am. I debated for a while about including the song on which he is featured; at the end of the day, I think it is the right choice)
Click the photo to go to the 8tracks page!
Track Listing:
Just Do You//India.Arie
Run the World (Girls)//Beyonce
Don’t Rain on My Parade//Barbra Streisand
Battle Cry//Angel Haze ft. Sia
Something New//Girls Aloud
Bad Girls//M.I.A.
Now, Now//St. Vincent
I’m Gonna Be Alright//Jennifer Lopez
Thinking of You//Ke$ha
Acapella//Karmin
My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)//En Vogue
I’m Not Your Hero//Tegan & Sara
Nobody Asked Me (If I Was OK)//Sky Ferreira
See Me Now//Little Mix
Fergalicious//Fergie ft. Will.I.Am
Fire Starter//Demi Lovato
Hat 2 Da Back//TLC
I Don’t Need a Man//The Pussycat Dolls
I’m Legit//Nicki Minaj ft. Ciara
Q.U.E.E.N.//Janelle Monae ft. Erykah Badu
Gunpowder and Lead//Miranda Lambert
Oath//Cher Lloyd ft. Becky G
Go Ahead//Rilo Kiley
So Much Better//Legally Blonde Original Broadway Cast
I’m Every Woman//Whitney Houston
