Some nights when I was studying in my room in Hiester Hall, I’d record the alternative rock shows on WPSU on my boombox. On Valentine’s Day 1994, they had an “all-hate dedication show,” so people were calling in asking for angry love songs. I ended up capturing some great tracks. I got some of the band names wrong because I hadn’t heard of them, or because I misheard the DJ. He was this disaffected guy with a monotone voice, and I captured his commentary, too. That was the icing on the cake.

I’m not sure why I was alone that day. I had a boyfriend—now my husband, Mark McElwain ’94 Eng—but I’m guessing we both had homework, and the music was getting me through yet another 10-page English lit paper.

I somehow managed to hold onto a bunch of those mixtapes, and I bought a record player last year that has a cassette deck. While I was at it, I made a Spotify playlist, too.
 

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