From Pop to Personal // You’re Gonna Go Far

The album “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan changed my life. Ever since the first moment I heard the beautiful tone of Kahan’s voice, his lyricism just embedded itself into my soul. The “Stick Season” album became the playlist of my senior year — listening to “You’re Gonna Go Far” while writing my college essays, blasting “Northern Attitude” in the car, and dancing to “Stick Season” at formal. Every part of my day was filled with that album.  

You can probably imagine how excited I was when Noah announced that he was touring. When the tickets went on sale, I was in class and unable to get them myself, so I put my father in charge. Due to the high demand and Ticketmaster being the worst site to ever exist, I unfortunately did not get any tickets to see Noah Kahan. I was devastated at first, reeling from the fact that I wouldn’t get to see Kahan perform the songs that had become a soundtrack to my life. I eventually got over the sadness, however, finding comfort in the fact that I could always just listen to his album.  

Flash forward to this summer — July 13, to be exact. Most of my thoughts revolved around college as I anxiously watched the days of summer go by. But on July 13, all the anxiety and chaos seemed to stop for a moment. One of my closest friends from high school texted that she had an extra ticket to see Noah Kahan at Madison Square Garden and asked if I wanted to go. My heart stopped as I read her text over again and again in shock at what was happening. I responded within seconds, obviously, agreeing to go. In two days, my life was going to be changed forever.  

To be in the same presence as Noah Kahan felt like an absolute dream. To hear and watch him sing his heart out at a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden on July 15 for the first time was a transformative experience. Just singing and letting the lyrics wash over me calmed all my anxiety for the months to come. In that moment I was simply there, fully present. There was a specific moment in the show, however, that will truly stick with me forever.  

Hearing Noah and the entire sold-out stadium sing his beautiful song “You’re Gonna Go Far” stopped me dead in my tracks. The lyrics reflected all the new changes that I was going to be experiencing in my life. Now that I’ve been at college for about a month, this song and that moment keep replaying in my mind. The lyrics highlight moments of this process and journey, and I wanted to unpack this month through Noah’s words. 

“The college kids are gettin’ so young, ain’t they?”  

During this entire process, I have been plagued by this sense of imposter syndrome. I was an eighth grader when COVID-19 shut down the world, and ever since then, I feel as if a part of me is still stuck there. My high school years, although some days felt painstakingly long, went by in the blink of an eye. I still remember getting my diploma at graduation and being hit with the realization that I was now a college student. Packing up all my belongings and clothes to move into my new dorm felt surreal. Through the entire moving process, I had this nagging in my mind saying that I wasn’t ready yet. That feeling will probably never go away, but I think that fear will be the driving factor in all I go on to do at college. There’s definitely a fear of feeling too young or inexperienced in college, but I think it’s important to look at it in the sense that I have the whole world ahead of me.  

“Say whatever you feel, be whatever you are.”  

I would be lying if I said the last couple of days before leaving for college weren’t filled with a myriad of emotions. I’ve always struggled with fully accepting my emotions, so when I heard this line of “You’re Gonna Go Far,” I knew that I needed to push down my pride and just feel. I finally found comfort when I was able to just talk about all the fear, sadness, and excitement in which I was feeling for this new journey ahead. No matter how much you prepare for college, you’re never fully prepared to leave all that you love. I found the most comfort in knowing that I was not alone in this process and reminding myself that all the overwhelming feelings were meant to be felt and processed.  

“If you wanna go far/ Then you gotta go far.”  

As I’m writing this, I’m currently sitting in my dorm room, rewatching my video of Noah Kahan singing this line. I am 304 miles away from home, away from the comfort of all I know. Although each day brings its challenges and fears, I know I am going to go far here because I have all the people I love at home cheering me on. I have Kahan’s music guiding me each day and I have the lessons and experiences that I’ve learned and grown from to give me the confidence that I can succeed. Although it’s painful to leave home, I truly believe that to go far, you have to go far.  

Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” has been more than just an album to me — it has been a soundtrack to my journey, capturing the essence of transition and growth during a pivotal time in my life. “You’re Gonna Go Far” is a constant reminder that as I navigate college life, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed, and that every step forward, no matter how daunting, is part of a larger journey. With Noah Kahan’s words echoing in my heart, I am ready to face the challenges ahead and truly believe that to go far, I must embrace every opportunity to grow.