Author: Lindsay Palmer
I love music, and I love sharing music with other people. And while I enjoy going to concerts and would love to learn how to play every instrument imaginable, I have never really had a real outlet for my appreciation of music. As soon as I got to Occidental, I learned about the radio station here, KOXY 104.7. I thought it was fantastic that any student could apply to have a radio show slot, and I, along with my friend, immediately applied. A week later, we had a radio show (“Every Song’s a Party Song,” Tuesdays 4-5pm). However, I’m surprised that more people on campus haven’t taken advantage of KOXY.
The point of college radio is the ability and privilege to share your favorite songs with a sympathetic audience of listeners. However, very few students actually take the time to tune in to KOXY radio shows. This lack of listeners points to an apathetic, or simply lazy, student body. It’s not that difficult to click on the link to stream KOXY through your laptop. Students should overcome their laziness and support each others’ diverse tastes in music – be open to the interests of their peers.
I love having a radio show on KOXY. It offers students a creative outlet that has the potential to unite different types of students. The diversity of students points to an even broader diversity in musical tastes. Many of these diverse musical tastes are never exposed or shared as they should be. I can’t imagine anything that would make me as happy as when I am able to share music with others. I wish that the entirety of the Oxy campus felt the same.
KOXY makes you think about and reevaluate your personal music choices. As a DJ, it makes me analyze song meanings and try to group them together across genres. It is a challenge to listen to my favorite bands in a new, critical way, searching for ways to apply their words to something beyond themselves. But after each show, I get an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, feeling as though I synthesized my knowledge of music into a concise, one-hour, themed display. I always walk out of the DJ booth reflecting on the awesome party I just threw.
I also love listening to the other shows on KOXY. Some are similar to our show in their being musically based, but others are talk shows. I dig them all. Every DJ that I have listened to has a unique approach to music, and it has made me realize that the bands I love and the messages they produce through their songs are not the end all, be all.
There are a lot of types of music and various interpretations for each type, most of which I was unaware of prior to becoming involved at KOXY. Radio is a fantastic way to exchange opinions, expose others to new music and entertain everybody along the way. Oxy students need to get more involved in this unique college experience of sharing music. KOXY shows are easily one of my favorite parts of this campus, and I love being a part of one.
Lindsay Palmer is an undeclared first-year. She can be reached at palmer@oxy.edu.
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