Between school and Student Government responsibilities, Taylor Cox often finds himself listening to music to spur him through days of class and meetings.

“If I’m having a rough day where I’m really busy, I’ll go into my office and close my door and put in my earphones and crank out a bunch of work,” said the mass communication senior and SG president. 

“You can find me most nights at Highland Coffees,” he said. “I’ll be in there studying and listening to music.”

So, what’s on his iPod?

Cox said he’s a real ‘90s kid. He nostalgically enjoys tunes from the late ‘90s and early 2000s, like Death Cab For Cutie or Hellogoodbye. He also listens to Christian music, a carryover from his time singing at his church.

Music affects his feelings, Cox said. He has different music for different tasks. 

Nicki Minaj serves as great workout music, for example, while songs on K-LOVE Radio get him through long and difficult days. And there’s always some room for Iron and Wine or Mumford and Sons, he added with a laugh.

“My music taste — I would call it odd and unusual and eclectic,” he said. “I like music that inspires me, motivates me and kind of pulls at my heartstrings.”

Cox took the office of Student Government president with different aspirations than some of his predecessors. While many seek political office, Cox makes different plans.

“They want to go into  politics — [SG] is a passion of theirs,” he said. “It’s a passion of mine, but it’s not for political want or desire. I really have no interest in going into politics one day.”

Cox said he plans to apply to graduate school, but his dream job involves working in outdoor camps. From childhood until recently, he attended multiple summer and leadership camps in places like Ozark, Ark. Cox said he thinks it’s amazing that working at a camp entails planning leadership exercises and activities like rock climbing, hiking and whitewater

rafting.

“I would love to be the director of a camp one day for other students and to plan fun activities and different leadership challenges,” he said.

But this isn’t to say Cox isn’t dedicated to his role as SG president.

Cox and Vice President Carrie Hebert helped arrange the first LSU Tiger Nights, which brought rock walls, DJs, photo booths and campus organizations into one on-campus event. 

“[Our] mission was more or less to provide students with unique opportunities throughout the year,” Cox said.“To meet their fellow students, to meet campus leaders and really just have more programming and more things to do.”