All over campus students are hooked into headphones, packing MP3s, iPods, Discmans and CDs. The genres of music vary with individual taste and so do the reasons for tuning in -- or tuning out.

The campus is a concert and, to each, his or her own show.

"I feel like I'm in a movie, and this is the soundtrack," Cara Weissman (senior-public relations) said.

"Listening makes everything around me background. I just saw a guy on a unicycle while listening to 'Seven Nation Army,' " she added.

Weissman said she listens to mixes she makes (everything from Dido to the White Stripes and even Britney Spears) on her way across campus. Otherwise, the walk is really boring.

It's all about mood and the weather for Tyler Kulp, an employee at City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave., who listens all the time.

"When it's cold, I'll listen to jazz, and when it's hot, reggae," he said.

For Kulp, music is a way of life.

"Music is essential," he said.

"I don't like to go anywhere or do anything without music involved."

Kulp also addressed the question of whether listening is antisocial.

"Some people don't want to talk to other people," he said.

Greg Gabbard, City Lights owner, said music can be a personal experience.

"Initially, that's the way all music hits a human being," he said.

"That one song on an album just relates to you but not necessarily for everyone else."

William Sangster (freshman-general science) said that he doesn't use music to tune out others.

Every day between classes, he said he listens to almost every genre, including hip-hop, reggae, rock and alternative.

"Listening has no effect on me," Sangster said.

"I can still pay attention to everything going on. I'm not zoning out. If anything, I focus more," he added.

As he listened to hip-hop artist Shyne, Sangster said he only wears one headphone, leaving one out so he can still talk to people.

Rana Norman (senior-crime, law and justice) said that every day, she listens to a variety of music such as classic rock, folk and bluegrass.

Norman said she goes to a lot of live shows and festivals while away from campus.

But during class days, Norman gets her music from her headphones.

"I don't think it's antisocial," she said. "It doesn't stop people from bumming cigarettes from me."

Jason Brooks (junior-psychology and business) shared a similar outlook.

"Even when I'm listening to music, I'm still social," Brooks said.

"But I could see how it could be antisocial."

With the recently released Kanye West album playing as he bounced through the HUB, Brooks said he hears about new music from record labels, friends and music videos.

Deanna Gondek (sophomore-media studies) said she listens to music almost all day, mostly to have something on in the background, whether it be The Beastie Boys or Tom Petty.

"You're kind of in your own world, but I still stop and talk to people," Gondek said.

Nate Shapiro (senior-business logistics and international business) takes it a step further with his personal music listening experience.

Removing his headphones and pushing pause on the rhymes of Non Phixion, he said: "Listening puts you in your own world, shutting off the outside world. It takes all other distractions out."

Alex Yao (freshman-economics) said he unwinds to the fast-paced music of The Starting Line and other punk.

"I listen almost all the time," he said.

"It's relaxing -- a break between having to go to class and doing work."

Behind the counter at City Lights, Gabbard said he agreed that music provides a personal escape.

"Listening to music while you're walking around may just be a release from whatever else they're going to have to do for the rest of the day," he said.