Welcome to Between Me and You. An opt-out from the algorithm’s personality of the week. No gatekeeping, just honest opinions. You’re on the invite list, so let’s spill!
Between me and you, nightlife is the new wellness trend. Something about going out makes us feel the most “us.” Psychologists would say that nightlife unlocks versions of ourselves that stay hidden at 2 p.m., but come alive at 2 a.m. Our brains love dashes of dopamine and a little chaos.
Nightlife boosts mood through music and movement. Dancing and shared musical moments activate reward circuits in the brain, which increases social bonding and enhances your mood. Neuroscientists say clubbing can positively impact wellbeing through movement, music and group energy, bringing a whole lot of good brain energy to the dance floor.
Dr. Julia C. Basso, neuroscientist and director of the Embodied Brain Lab, found that when people are dancing to the same music together, certain parts of the brain activate simultaneously, creating a sense of unity and community. The literal embodiment of Zara Larsson’s “Boots, that’s my ego boost!”
Cognitive psychologist, musician and neuroscientist Daniel Levin explains the phenomenon of dance music as “There’s this thing called the flow state, and it’s characterized by focused attention, a loss of a sense of self, a loss of a sense of time and, really, the focused attention is a special kind where you’re not really aware of yourself or what you’re doing.” So . . . going out equals a flow state? Clock it!
Social connections and making friends are powerful nightlife tools. I know I’m so grateful for all the new friends I’ve made when going out. Social connections also serve as an intrusive thought interrupter. Being around people pulls your attention outside of yourself, reducing the mental space available for rumination. Loud music, lights and movement capture attention, leaving less room for intrusive thoughts to filter in as well. So going out is an extra dose of leaving negativity behind.
Novelty and micro-chaos are the new trends to add a dash of dopamine to your night. Sensation seeking is attributed to craving novel and fun experiences, which also boosts dopamine. (Are you seeing my pattern yet?) Psychologist Marvin Zuckerman founded the study of sensation seeking, identifying it as a key factor for influencing thrill seekers. The benefits of sensation seeking are boosts in creativity and openness to new experiences, as well as greater resilience in facing obstacles.
If you had told me last year at this time that I’d be writing a column on the positives of going out and nightlife, I would have laughed because the idea would be absurd. I once rejected the going out ideology and thought it was a waste of time, energy and money. Shout out to my parents, especially my mom, for encouraging me to go out.
I’ll forever be grateful to my twin for introducing me to going out and nightlife. I’m grateful for you in a million ways, and spending time with you is honestly my favorite hobby. The memories we’ve made are forever, and I hope we never stop collecting them in all that we do.
If you’ve been on the fence about going out, please know I once owned that fence — naturally, it was painted pink, of course. Consider this your sign if you need one: leave the fence and go have fun and live your life boldly. You’ll be surprised to see how fast your mind changes.
Your thoughts are my favorite read. Email me at [email protected]!
Marissa Hunt is a junior at UT this year studying journalism. She can be reached at [email protected].
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.