Reggae on the Route
April 13, 2026
Writer: Reese Kizy
Editor: Samantha Zemnick
Could You Be Loved echoed from the front of the shuttle bus as we journeyed up the side of a Colorado mountain. It seemed contradictory to be listening to tropical, toes-in-the-sand music on our annual family ski trip. The view out the bus windows was a flurry of snow. We looked at one another, slightly puzzled at the choice of music, a genre we don’t hear very often, much less in a cold ski town.
The next day, in our shuttle from the mountain back to our cabin, the upbeat, chill vibes of the song Sun Is Shining, another Bob Marley classic, filled the bus. I found myself being transported by the music as it reminded me of sitting in a hammock, the temperature just right, with everything checked off my to-do list. It felt odd listening to reggae music in the snowy mountains, but the way I felt while nodding along to the undeniably positive, catchy songs stuck with me. For the rest of the trip, I couldn’t wait to hear what Bob Marley song our shuttle driver would play. I listened with a smile on my face, feeling relaxed and content, even if just for the short shuttle ride.
Back home, the calmness disappeared. I easily forgot the genre. It’s not too popular and gets overlooked among our generation’s craze for pop and rap. I got back into the busy hustle of everyday life. The next fall, I moved into my new home for my freshman year: the dreaded Bursley Hall. I listened to all the headaches, groans, and horror stories associated with living on North Campus. That paired with the overwhelming emotions of having a fresh start at college, finding new friends, navigating classes, and a whole different environment. But all the stress was cut by something that North Campus– and the endless bus rides that come with it– forced me into. Every now and then, a Bursley-Baits bus driver would play their music just loud enough to hear when I would sit near the front. Buffalo Soldier hummed from the bus driver’s stereo one day on my commute home from class. I was reminded of the calm, positive feeling from reggae on the shuttles in Colorado.
Ironically, I found myself uplifted by the chill tones of reggae when I was on the bus. At school, being on the bus between classes and rushing home was always a time of stress. But that one bus driver’s delight in reggae could change my entire mood with just one short bus ride. I felt relieved and refreshed by the music. Reggae music, with its slow tempo and lyrics carrying messages about unity and peace, was always able to help me relax. It made me feel like everything would be okay. I felt lucky every time I stepped onto the bus in the middle of the school day, listened to the music, and automatically was able to chill out. I began turning reggae music on whenever I felt overwhelmed.
Controlling our stress is a constant struggle. We can choose to let it overcome us and ruin the rest of the day. Or we can find little things that make us pause. In the places I least expected it, random bus drivers gave me a gift that I have used to help counter my stress. Reggae uplifts me, encourages the calmness I have deep down, which is buried by my anxieties. Even in the short time I’m on the bus, I choose reggae music. I choose to reset. And as I step off the bus, I find myself holding onto the gentle reminder in Could You Be Loved that maybe slowing down, letting go, and allowing ourselves to feel that it will all be okay, is something we don’t just stumble upon—we choose it.
